How to let us know about people living in vehicles on the road.

How to tell us about someone living in a vehicle

You can submit an online report if you have concerns about the:

  • health or wellbeing  of the people living in vehicles
  • impact an encampment is having on your community

If you'd like to give us more information about the impact an encampment is having on yourself or your community then you can:

  • keep a diary for 14 days to record any issues you witness
  • supply  videos or photos to provide any supporting evidence 

Let us know in the form that you are doing this. A member of the Neighbourhood Enforcement Team will then contact you.

This will be helpful if we have to take any legal action.

Streetlink 

You can also contact StreetLink if you are concerned for the health or wellbeing of a person living in a vehicle.  StreetLink exists to help end rough sleeping by enabling members of the public to connect people sleeping rough with the local services that can support them.

  • Sign up online to send an alert to Streetlink
  • Call Streetlink: 0300 500 0914, 24 hours a day and 7 days a week
  • Download:  Streetlink's free mobile app from iTunes or Google Play

What happens after you send a report to us

When we have your report we'll visit the vehicle or site within 10 workings days to:

  • assess its impact on the area
  • speak to the people living there to:
    • tell them about standards that apply to living in a vehicle 
    • discuss any alleged impact their encampment may be having
    • let them know about available housing support  

We will only consider taking legal action to move them on if they are:

  • having a high impact on the community through causing anti-social behaviour or not disposing of their waste properly
  • breaking the law
  • causing an obstruction
  • parked at a dangerous location on the road such as a junction
  • living so close to residential properties, schools or a public space such as a children's play area that this causes a problem.

The assessment of high and low impact is carried out by officers from the Neighbourhood Enforcement Team.

This is with reference to the criteria set out in the  pdf vehicle dwelling on the highway policy (269 KB) .

Unauthorised encampments

Visit report an unauthorised encampment to report any people living in vehicles on private land.