A homeless charity in the town has expressed their ‘extreme’ frustration after the Home Secretary described rough sleeping as a ‘lifestyle choice’.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman claimed that some people are sleeping on the streets as a "lifestyle choice" in a post on X.

Mrs Braverman has also reportedly proposed establishing a civil offence to deter charities from giving tents to homeless people.

The Ipswich Housing Action Group supports anyone at risk of homelessness in the town and also hands out donated clothes.  

Ipswich Star: Jools Ramsey-Palmer is the chief executive officer of ihag.Jools Ramsey-Palmer is the chief executive officer of ihag. (Image: Archant)

Chief Executive Officer Jools Ramsey-Palmer said following the Home Secretary's comments: “It’s extremely frustrating when public figures make statements about homelessness which do not reflect the complexities of the situation.

“Sleeping rough is the last resort for many who believe there is no other option, but this can be a frightening and dehumanising experience. Many rough sleepers have shared their stories of being verbally abused by passers-by, having their belongings stolen, or being physically attacked. We’ve even heard about people being urinated on, and in one case set alight whilst in their sleeping bag.

“The vast majority of people sleeping rough tell us they desperately want a roof over their heads, and with the support of the Local Authority, emergency accommodation in a shared space is available.

“The Ipswich Housing Action Group will continue to offer non-judgemental support to anyone facing homelessness because we believe everyone has a right to a safe space to call home.”

Ipswich Star: Ipswich and its work to support those that are homeless have been in the headlines in recent weeks.Ipswich and its work to support those that are homeless have been in the headlines in recent weeks. (Image: Newsquest)

Ipswich council leader Neil MacDonald has also been speaking about the serious homeless problem in the town.

In his latest column he said: “Ipswich has one of the highest homeless counts, per head of population, in the country. This was highlighted in the national press last week as Ipswich had the 17th highest spend in the country on temporary accommodation, as a percentage of core budget in 2022/23.”

The council has recently set up an 11-bed accommodation for single homeless people which Cllr MacDonald says is cheaper long term than using bed and breakfast accommodation.