ROUGH sleeping in Hampshire is on the increase, official figures show.

The latest figures available for the county show the number of people sleeping on the county’s streets increased over the past two years.

Office for National Statistics figures show that the estimated number of rough sleepers in seven council areas stood at 59 in 2014 – up 20 on the figures for 2012.

Most were estimates provided by the councils, although Winchester’s figures followed a street count of rough sleepers.

The statistics show that 19 people were classed as sleeping rough in Southampton in 2014 and 14 in Winchester.

Over the same period there were eight rough sleepers in Fareham, nine in the New Forest, seven in Test Valley and one in each of Gosport and Eastleigh.

That compares with 39 rough sleepers recorded in 2013 – including 13 in Southampton, 11 in Winchester and eight in Fareham – and 39 in 2012.

A spokesman for Southampton City Council said that council homelessness prevention officers had identified eight rough sleepers in the city last week but that has grown to 15 this week.

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They added that the current levels were “now largely returned to normal levels” but that there had been an increase in the summer including many people from other parts of the country.

Firm statistics for street begging do not exist, but both Southampton and Winchester councils say they have evidence it is increasing.

But what should residents do if they are approached by someone begging on the streets? Michele Price, manager of Winchester Churches Nightshelter, said: “If members of the public feel that they would like to help, we would not recommend giving money directly to them – instead, they could offer to buy them food or a drink.”

And a spokesman for the city council added: “The decision as to whether or not to give money to a homeless person lies purely with the individual.

“If you give money to a beggar you’re taking a chance that it might be spent on a bed for the night, while if you support a charity, you know that it will.”