As At Home in Guernsey celebrates its first anniversary, it says reports of rough sleeping are rising.

At Home in Guernsey launched in February 2024, aiming to de-stigmatise homelessness and secure adequate accommodation for everyone.

A year on, the charity's CEO, Charlie Cox, says the problem is far worse than they originally thought.

"We have certainly seen a huge rise in the amount of people who are roofless.

"When we first started looking we would guess anywhere between ten and fifteen people were rough sleeping.

"But from the last couple of weeks and what we’ve heard, it is probably more than 20 people that are sleeping outside.

"People's situations change on a daily basis, but it is certainly an issue that we have at the moment."

She says they receive calls, emails and social media messages from concerned members of the public, almost daily.

"Particularly over the winter, it is really worrying, and we understand why the public is concerned, and we know people want to help.

"If people are concerned about anybody who’s sleeping rough, on the street, in bunkers, in cars or around car parks, they can absolutely get in touch with us.

"We will go and try and see people, and we work closely with the police and other charities that work to support people experiencing homelessness."

The charity has shared expansion plans for 2025, including the launch of a local Home Share Scheme.

This would see islanders with extra rooms provide living space for those without a permanent address.

There are similar schemes across the UK.

At Home in Guernsey says it is working closely with UK providers to ensure that the Bailiwick version follows best practices.

The charity believes there are enough bedrooms in Guernsey to house everyone, but the right system is needed to allow it to be done safely.