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These figures come from a survey on Thursday 28 June 2007. There were 220 people in the Centre that day - 199 men and 21 women. This is a record for the Centre and compares with 157 people in December 2006 and 165 people a year ago.

About 52% were sleeping rough (up from 44% six months ago and 35% a year beofre that), with another 13% in squats. However, 25% had permanent accommodation, with others in hostels, living with friends or not known.

Over the last year or so, we have seen an increase in the number of people from the Central European countries which joined the EU in 2004. They are not entitled to UK benefits and so many are sleeping rough, with friends, or in squats.

About 50% are British, with the largest group (35%) being English. 34% are European, mainly from the recent EU member states.

Just under half (48%) of the European centre users came frome Poland, with 20% from Lithuania. All but one of the Polish users are sleeping rough, or squatting - no doubt because they have no benefit entitlements.

As usual, about 90% of the Centre users are men. We do not survey the age groups, but the monthly Housing and Welfare report indicates that the majority of Centre users are over 35 - although the age range has been reducing.