Nearly 80 per cent of all rough sleeper reports were responded to by Wiltshire Council since the pandemic began.

According to StreetLink, an app where members of the public can connect rough sleepers people with local services to support them, said that between March 1 and December 31 last year, they had received 104 alerts in Wiltshire.

Of these 104 alerts about rough sleepers, Wiltshire Council responded to 79 or 76 per cent of those received.

It is important to note that the 104 alerts do not represent as many individuals sleeping rough.

A spokesman for StreetLink said: “Sometimes several alerts are received for the same person, or a person may leave and then return to the streets.”

Cabinet member for housing, Richard Clewer said, “Since the start of the Everybody In campaign and the ongoing Protect programme, over 95 individuals have been supported into accommodation.”

The government’s Everybody In campaign, launched just after the onset of the pandemic, gave local authorities instruction to find rough sleepers, or those in accommodation where it was difficult to self-isolate safe housing.

"Of the reports made through Street Link, 34 were not rough sleepers, but people who had homes but had decided to continue with an on street culture.

"There were also a number of duplicate reports of known long term individuals who we continue to work with.

"When the pandemic started in March 2020, there was delay in responding to duplicated reports due to prioritising work on the ground.

"All Street Link reports have now received replies.”

Since the start of the pandemic, the council says it has offered secure accommodation to all of the county's rough sleepers.

If anyone is concerned about someone sleeping rough, they can use the StreetLink app or report concerns via www.streetlink.org.uk.