March 2026

Every day, Turning Tides hears from people who are anxious about their housing situation or concerned about someone they’ve seen sleeping rough. We know how overwhelming these situations can feel and we want you to know that reaching out is always the right first step. We’re here to listen, to offer guidance and to connect you with the support that can make a real difference. Before we explain how different services work, it’s helpful to share what we can and can’t do to support you or someone you’re worried about. Clarifying our services so you get the right help when you need it.

What We Can Do

Turning Tides is the largest provider of support for single adults experiencing homelessness in West Sussex. We work across towns, villages and rural areas, helping people move towards a safer and more stable future. Through our Community Hubs, outreach teams and accommodation projects, we offer:

• Hot breakfasts, showers, laundry, clothing, Wi‑Fi and charging
• Housing advice, benefit support and links to health services
• A wide range of accommodation pathways
• Activities that reduce isolation and build confidence
• Compassionate, trauma informed, person-centred support

The What We Do section of our website is full of detailed information about the help we provide and we warmly encourage anyone seeking support to explore what’s available.

However, we also want to be transparent about what we can’t do, so you know what to expect when you reach out.

What Turning Tides Can’t Do

Provide Same Day Emergency Accommodation

Sadly, we cannot offer same day‑ emergency accommodation.

The quickest route to immediate emergency housing is through your local council who will assess your situation through a homelessness application. If they decide you are in Priority Need, they have a legal duty to house you that same day. If not, they will still offer accommodation based on what is locally available.

Turning Tides accommodation may become part of your pathway out of homelessness, but most of our residential services have waiting lists. You will be invited for an assessment once you reach the top.

Support People Without a Local Connection Long-Term

We can only offer long-term support to people who have a local connection to the areas we operate in, as confirmed by the local councils we work with.

If you don’t have a local connection, our Community Hubs can still support you for ten working days while you reconnect with your own area. This can be disappointing, but without a local connection you can’t usually:

• be added to the local Housing Register
• access most Move-On Accommodation
• be considered for many support pathways

If you are fleeing violence, we can help you safely disclose this to the council, who may apply different rules to keep you safe.

Compel Someone to Accept Accommodation

We understand how distressing it can be to see someone sleeping rough and worry that “nothing is being done”, but Turning Tides cannot force anyone to accept accommodation.

There are complex reasons why someone may not come indoors, including:

• being offered placements far from their support networks
• previous trauma connected with accommodation or trusting services
• anxiety about shared living or new environments

Our role is to encourage, support and build trust, while also respecting each person’s autonomy. We work closely with other services and accommodation providers to explore every possible option to meet each person where they are, not where we wish they were.

Respond Directly to Reports of Rough Sleepers

We know how worrying it can be to see someone sleeping rough and want to make sure they receive help. However, Turning Tides cannot directly respond to reports from the public about someone sleeping rough.

The fastest way to ensure someone receives support is to make a report via:

www.thestreetlink.org.uk

StreetLink is a government funded initiative that is administered by Homeless Link. When you submit a concern through StreetLink, your report is automatically sent to the appropriate outreach team for that specific area. This ensures the right organisation is alerted and they can contact the person as quickly as possible.

Providing clear details (location, appearance, usual times seen) helps outreach workers identify and reach the person more effectively.

While we can’t act on reports directly, we fully support the StreetLink process because it ensures people receive the most appropriate help from the right team at the right time.

Support Families or Anyone Under 18

Our services are designed specifically for adults aged 18 and over experiencing homelessness.

This means we cannot support:

• families with children under 18
• single young people under 18

Families are supported through the local authority, who typically view them as Priority Need. Young people under 18 should contact Child and Family Services as well as pastoral support available through their school or college.

We’re Here to Help You Find the Right Support

Even when we’re not the right service, we will always do our best to offer guidance, reassurance and signposting. Homelessness is complex. No two journeys are the same. Our aim is to make sure you understand your options clearly and compassionately. Our team is always happy to help, and you can contact us on 01903 680740 or email us on info@turning-tides.org.uk where we will direct you to the most appropriate service.

You can also check our Get Help and About Homelessness pages for more information on what to expect as well as read out client stories.