a scattering of showers too, some of these heavy, some of these thundery, but in the sunshine it will feel warm, highs of 20 celsius. hello, this is bbc news with ben brown. the headlines: theresa may promises mps a bold new offer on brexit, to try to get her deal through parliament before she leaves office. a bbc investigation finds a fall in the number of prosecutions for revenge porn, even though there are more reported incidents of it. triumph for the netherlands in this year's eurovision song contest, but despair for the uk, which finished last. and manchester city celebrate victory in the fa cup final, as their captain, vincent kompany, announces he's leaving the club this summer.

now on bbc news, why do so many rough sleepers continue to be trapped on the streets? wyre davies has following the lives of those sleeping rough in cardiff for bbc wales investigates. cardiff city centre on one of the cold est cardiff city centre on one of the coldest night of the year. this winter, there is a noticeable difference to the streets. this is perhaps where rough sleeping is at its most visible in wales. this is

the main street in the middle of cardiff, and there are a string of tents, three orfour, huddled together. two or three people inside each one, trying to keep warm. it is a bitterly cold night, and there are at least 12 tens already pitched here in the middle of queen street. over the last few years, rough sleeping numbers in wales have gone up dramatically. in cardiff alone there are estimated to be over 100 people sleeping out. each has an individual story of how they have ended up on the streets. i couldn't go back to my flat. i have got to do this. if i can't and i have got to stay out on the street, like, i make sure i am wrapped up warm. some, like dell, have been homeless for a while. how come you're on the streets? i had a breakdown in my relationship about a year and a half ago.

i was drinking quite heavily. i lost myjob and i've got a little boy i haven't seen in a while. you had your own place and job? yes, i was a nurse and i worked in dementia. i was working in hopkinstown. you had a regular life and job... as i say to everybody, you don't realise it. how old are you? a0 now. they say life begins! del is not the only one who will be sleeping out tonight and the temperature is plummeting. it notjust tents, there are people looking out for doorways as well. so, what is it like being out on the streets on nights like this? it is

about 11pm, and it is that time of the evening when many of those people who are sleeping rough and starting to bed down for the night. i have found a spot where i am going to bed down for the next couple of hours and try to keep warm from this cold and snow. in reality, even i am a bit too old for this. incredibly, life expectancy for men sleeping rough is a7. for women, life expectancy for men sleeping rough is a7. forwomen, it life expectancy for men sleeping rough is a7. for women, it is a3. it is cold. 0h, rough is a7. for women, it is a3. it is cold. oh, it is cold. my inexperience is showing. my first choice is too exposed. i have to move to find somewhere more sheltered. but it doesn't make sleeping any easier. singing.

it's nearly seven o'clock and it's time to get up and move on. the streets are already getting pretty busy. i got a couple of hours‘ sleep but it was desperately cold and really uncomfortable. many of the people who do sleep here, rough, in cardiff, will be back tonight, and the question really is, what can be done to get these people off the streets? people like christina. morning. she is already up to catch the morning commuters. last night, she slept out in her tent. christina has been homeless for years. i was an 18—year—old runaway, i ended up coming down here in 9a and i have been homeless since.

i don't really want to be living in a tent all my life in this cold weather. i'd rather be in a nice warm home with four walls and i'd be able to get to see my son when i do get housed. at the moment there is no chance of me getting to see my little man in the predicament i'm in. it's an endless circle and it's a horrible circle. we have to sit out here to make our money to get what we need for our day. i smoke spice, unfortunately, i'm addicted to it. i'm severely ill if i don't have it. others are up as well, including del. it looks like it's going to start again, the snow again. yes, it was really, really cold after i spoke to you yesterday. the temperature dropped again. each morning, the council outreach

breakfast team offer a cup of tea and try to persuade people to take up emergency accommodation. the council says there are enough places for all rough sleepers. so why are the streets still full of tents? many claim they still feel safer sleeping rough. being in them hostels and that situation, people are lucky to wake up and have their trainers in the morning. there's probably someone in the breakfast queue fighting over who is going to have the trainers, and at least i know if i wake up here, i choose the company i sleep around. this is like my house, really, i can choose who i want in and out. one hostel facing a lot of criticism from the streets is the huggard. this winter, along with other charities, they are offering extra places. as their day centre closes, it's time to clear up. ijoin them as they let

people in for the night. regulars arrive and pick up their sleeping bags or duvets. they pick a spot on the floor. all of a sudden, a row flares up. last chance or you'll have to go. calm down. staff calm things down. after some supper, it is time to get some sleep. during the winter months, there have been an extra 20 overnight spaces here at the huggard. nobody is pretending it is anything other than emergency accommodation. not much more than floor space, a bit of bedding and food but it is warm and dry, there is cctv and staff here on duty all night.

come on then, signs of life, give me a wave. it is seven o'clock and time for people to get up. the day centre will need the room. the huggard insist that floor space is safer than sleeping out but they accept it's not for everyone. people want their freedom and sleeping in a communal environment can often be quite difficult, be quite difficult, particularly people who have mental health problems and substance abuse issues so it's not an ideal environment and what we don't want to suggest is that emergency overnight accommodation is a solution to rough sleeping, because it isn't. more and more people are actually stuck in a cycle of being in emergency accommodation and out on the street, and we have to find a way of actually breaking that cycle. one way the huggard is helping to break the cycle is helping to sort out benefit claims. to direct your call to the right place, i will need to know why

you are calling today. employment and support allowance. thanks. please hold on i will put you through to an adviser as soon as possible. it could take a while now. the system is an even bigger challenge if you don't have an address, an id or a bank account. like other rough sleepers, richard has tried to get around this by sharing a bank account, but his money has gone missing. it's taking the mick because at the end of the day, i can't even access money. now i would have to go out and i'm living outside at the end of the day and it's just trying to live and survive. what happens if you don't get it? i will end up begging. and it's not even about begging, for me, i'm from cardiff, you are seeing people. and it's being judged. on the streets is where richard

doesn't want to be that the benefit system, even with help, feels like just another barrier back to normal life. thank you for your time. half an hour later, it's not good news. they can't do anything about that money now, that money has gone. you've done that with your new account. . . i've lost my money? in terms of what they can do for you, yes. that's bad. i'm going back to jail. on my mother's grave, i'm going to do something so... listen to me. the department for work and pensions insists there is help to ensure the homeless can get their benefits. there are other challenges for rough sleepers. if they want to climb the steps to secure a home, they are expected to follow the hostel staircase system, as it's called.

prison leaver todd is trying to do just that, after weeks of sleeping on the floor here, he has a little more privacy. this is where i sleep at night. can you stay in the day? no, with the floor space system we leave at 8:30 in the morning and i'm not allowed in until half past eight at night so i spent all day on the streets anyway. you are going to try to get a room. i am going to stick it out with the system. i've got a key worker here and he's pretty good. if i get somewhere i can settle, i can be in their 2a hours a day if i like, it's my room. i don't have to leave it at all. when was the last time you lived in a proper home? i've never had one. i left home at 15. how old are you now? 35. 20 years you've either injail or homeless?

that's right. it is february and there are plenty of homeless people still on the streets. del will no longer use emergency shelters, but he has been out all winter and it's taking its toll. what's wrong with your hand? it's the cold weather. it's really sore, i don't know if i've got frostbite on my hand or something. i don't know. i've had it up to here, i really have. i don't want to be like this anymore. i'm just so depressed. i don't want to end up dead, basically. you know what i mean? there have been an estimated 90 homeless deaths across wales over the last five years. christina is in trouble as well.

her tent is gone and she says she was let down by a friend. i haven't seen my tent, my clothes and my bedding, all of my food and my money, whatever else was in my tent, the council took it away. i need to get my own flat, instead of temporary accommodation, somewhere where i can close the door behind you. somewhere where no one can come through the door. my tobacco smells of rabbit. and i haven't even got a fag. the six nations has come to cardiff. the capital city is in the public spotlight. tents have begun to disappear as the council finds places for some. others havejust changed pitch.

likejustin. i don't want to be in a hostel, so if i've got to sleep in a tent for three years before they come and say, listen, we got you a flat. i will sleep in a tent for three years. forjustin to get his flat, he is supposed to follow the staircase system and that means engaging with the council, going through various hostel accommodation before he is ready to rent a permanent home. the problem is that too many homeless rough sleepers have been on the merry—go—round of hostels and short—term accommodation before. it's not worked out and they end up back on the streets. but there is an alternative method that's been used in other countries. it's called housing first. rough sleepers are given a permanent flat first. there are no personal conditions, such as giving up drugs or alcohol.

but there is indefinite, intensive support. they have 81 apartments, which look like this. in finland, this man was the driving force in making housing first the solution for street homelessness. many have shelters and hostels as the main option — you are not solving it, you have a constant need for more temporary accommodation. it's not really the way to solve the issue. so we decided we have had to rethink everything and we have to change the system. the results are dramatic, old hostels have been converted into flats, temporary beds in helsinki have dropped from 600 to just 52. rough sleeping itself has been virtually eliminated.

what about del, who wanted off the streets, but would not go into make night shelters? there has been a breakthrough. hello! good to see you again. the council have allowed del to skip a couple of steps on the staircase system and rent a room in one of their residential blocks. it's good, nice, cozy, warm, it's got heating. you have been out of the system for a couple of years? did you feel in a bit of limbo? i am but i've got to set my mind what i want to do, i've got to do it. i've got a son and i've got to do it for him. i've got a life behind this, which i want back. i am fortunate that i've got it. there should be more places

for people like this. del has a support worker as well, but the room is still only temporary. the argument is that housing first would give del a better chance. but is it something we can afford to offer every rough sleeper in wales? a recent study in liverpool suggested the council there could make savings of over £a million if it switched its system to housing first. and research shows that where it's been introduced to 15,000 euros per head, as well as getting people off the street. it's now march, and across cardiff there are still tense —— tents, and rough sleepers. behind the museum, justin and his friends have been told they are about to be evicted. the council says they are a public health concern.

justin is hoping to stay if he can tidy up. when the council arrive it's clear they will all have to go. everyone here has been offered temporary accommodation but it's not what they want. they are putting three people in a shared flat, you are with two people you don't know, who can rifle through your stuff. i will not buy into all that, hostels. for the council workers there are health hazards, like used needles. now we have to go to casualty.

cardiff council says people will be evicted if they continually refused to engage. tents have given the homeless a false sense of security and there have been many near deaths. forformer nurse del, it's a case of sit and wait as he engages with the existing system. his luck is holding. good news today, this friday we are moving into full—time accommodation. it's going to be a massive difference, won't have to leave during the day, the 9—9 situation at the moment. won't to have to do that anymore. can have a lie—in in the morning, have our own flat. have a key, come and go as we please. but others we've met feel like they're stuck in limbo. the park space is supposed

to be temporary. i don't understand how i'm supposed to move forward. i don't understand, how can we move forward? for 12 hours a day, i have to walk the streets, it's messing with my physical and my mental health. with time on his hands, habits that tod had under control in prison are getting out of control. fallen into the spice, ended up smoking this spice stuff. i'm still out on the streets. it is wet out here.

i am going to chop my hair off later. a spider, he's got his own little burrow in there somewhere. i can feel it moving now and again, i think there's a spider in there. no nits or anything, it feels too heavy to be that. but you can feel this thing moving, like a spider. over the years christina's had a lot of help but not housing first. housing first has been on the agenda in wales for years, and several pilot projects have been run successfully. but it's not policy. i caught up with ministerjulie james at a housing conference. the present situation is not fit for purpose and we need to rejig the system so we don't see people sleeping rough on the streets of cardiff. i think emotionally,

housing first sounds right, but it's important to make sure we have all the practical details right and i don't want to be promising things to people as a golden rainbow and then find we cannot deliver them. it's april, and the council outreach team are on the morning breakfast run. there are still plenty of people sleeping out. but for del, it's a big day. this is your license agreement, you officially move in. then it's your keys. these are yours now. down here. it's the first proper home he's had for years. a long—term tenancy. but it still only temporary. bit of a blank canvas. i'll show you around. bathroom. big bath, shower. how important is it to you to get your own place?

you would not believe it, i'm so happy. you look it! been a long time waiting. same with my little boy, maybe now i can see about getting some access to him as well, this is going to be massive. and tod has also managed to negotiate the staircase system, he has his own room at the huggard hostel. it's been about ten days now. things are coming together. i feel a lot better in myself. i'm very institutionalised. just through the lifestyle i've led, and the length of time i've spent in and out of prison. i find it hard to cope with day—to—day things, to be honest with you. it's time to change. it's may, summertime. as the weather improves, stories on the homeless have

fallen down the headlines. but the tents are still here, just not on the streets. over the months we filmed, i've met people struggling to turn their lives around. but nobody we've spoken to can promise that next winter we won't see more tents back on our streets. it simply makes me sad that when i go to a new city i'm not looking for the tourist attractions, nice buildings, i always see the people sleeping on the streets and it makes me sad because we are living in a modern, civilised, western world. and you think it is solvable? it's completely solvable, yes. five months on, has anything changed for those we met on the streets of cardiff? everyone has to do the cycle before you get housed, doesn't matter which bubble or background you come

from, you have to go through the circle to get a home. no matter who you are. look at me now. massive difference. this place has helped a lot for me. from when i was out on the streets, sitting down, to sitting down on a sofa in my own flat. it's a massive difference. the temptation was too much. i smoked spice and my head went. i have no recollection of my actions. next step for me now is...

cheers, bye. hello, good morning. if your sunday is just getting started, let's see what the weather has in store. it was a pretty grey and murky start for some of us, but the sun has started to appear in most places. this is how it looks across the north—east of scotland. through the rest of today, we will see some sunny spells, but also some showers. some places will avoid them, but where the showers do crop up they could be heavy. low pressure in charge across much of europe at the moment. the wind are not strong, so any showers that do crop up today will be slow—moving. you can see

from the satellite picture the way in which the cloud has been breaking up, particularly across parts of england and wales. some some time to come here for the rest of the morning and into the afternoon. northern ireland taking a while to perk up, but it will be a brighter day for many than yesterday. 15 or 16 in aberdeen and glasgow. a scattering of slow—moving, heavy showers. northern ireland generally rather cloudy to this afternoon, perhaps some late brightness. across much of england and wales, a story of sunny spells and showers. others getting a real drench. extra clad lapping onto north—east coasts. in the best of the sunshine, 18 or 19 celsius. this evening, most of the showers will fade. we are looking at a lot of dry weather. again, some areas of low cloud, mist and fog developing, on what will be a pretty mild night. a mild start to monday

morning. if you are out early, a little bit cloudy in places, some fog patches here and there, but that should lift and break up, and once again we will see some sunshine and also some showers. some could again be on the heavy side with the odd flash of lightning. but in the sunshine, 20 degrees the high. on tuesday, not as many showers. most likely across the northern half of scotland. further south, more likely across the northern half of scotland. furthersouth, more in likely across the northern half of scotland. further south, more in the way of dry weather, some spells of sunshine. on wednesday, a dry day as well, and as we head towards the end of the week, signs that things will turn a little bit more unsettled with some rain started to work its way in. pretty mixed prospects over the next few days.

this is bbc news i'm ben brown. the headlines at 11:00. theresa may promises mps a bold new offer on brexit, to try to get her deal through parliament before she leaves office. the new national rail summer timetable comes into effect today — train companies say they've learned lessons from weeks of chaos on the network last summer. a bbc investigation finds a fall in the number of prosecutions for revenge porn — even though there are more reported incidents. # oh, oh # all i know, all i know # loving you is a losing game. triumph for the netherlands in this year's eurovision song contest. but despair for the uk, which finished last.