Homelessness has pushed rough sleepers in Middlesbrough to camp near Cleveland Police Station because, they say, the streets feel too dangerous. One man using the name Harry said he had been sleeping behind a bin before other homeless people offered him a tent near the station. Middlesbrough Council said staff regularly offer support to people sleeping rough, while a charity worker said many are desperate for a safer place to get through the night.
A camp near the station
Harry said he was in a “desperate situation” and had hit “rock bottom” before moving into the tent. He said there were “no bad people” at the small camp, but support for people in his position was “not there. ” He added that sleeping in doorways was “not the answer, ” and said being near the police station was “better than being on the streets. ”
The camp has since been moved further down the road, but it remains close to the police station. Harry said people were “adapting as best they can, ” and described the tent as “a five star hotel” compared with sleeping behind a bin.
Homelessness and safety on the street
Alan Jones, Middlesbrough manager for homeless charity Depaul UK, said sleeping rough was “terrifying. ” He said people were attacked, tents were burned to the ground, and belongings were damaged, adding that what is being seen near the police station is “traumatised people just desperately trying to survive the night. ”
Jones said people sleeping rough need “real support” and long-term solutions such as safe and affordable homes. His comments underline the wider strain around homelessness in the town, where safety is shaping where people choose to sleep when they have few other options.
What the council says
A Middlesbrough Council spokesperson said staff regularly offer support to people sleeping rough to help them move into suitable accommodation. The spokesperson said many individuals face complex issues that need help from multiple services, and said the council had received extra homelessness funding from government to employ dedicated staff at Depaul UK.
The spokesperson said: “These staff work with people facing the toughest of circumstances. ” The council added that the issues cannot be resolved in isolation and require work with different council services and other organisations to try to get the best outcome.
Why the camp matters
The situation near the police station shows how homelessness can become a question of immediate safety, not just housing. For people on the street, the choice can narrow to the least dangerous place available, even if it is temporary and precarious.
Harry said support was missing, while the council said help is being offered through regular outreach and coordinated services. For now, the camp near Cleveland Police Station remains a stark sign of how homelessness is playing out on the ground in Middlesbrough, with people relying on each other to get through the night.
