Former homeless residents in Bolton, Greater Manchester, have praised a pilot scheme that provided them with Sleeper Pods as a life-changing success. The project, which concluded its primary evaluation on 24 March 2026, provided temporary housing and support to help some of the town’s most vulnerable people move into permanent homes.
Bolton Council project featured nine self-contained units in a former car park near Higher Bridge Street and Topp Way. Each pod was equipped with a bedroom, a bathroom with a shower, and electric heating to keep residents warm during the winter. The site also had 24-hour security and CCTV cameras to ensure those staying there felt safe.
Those who used the pods described the experience as a godsend, with one resident, 44-year-old Emma, explaining it was the first time she had been properly warm in years. Along with a place to sleep, the Bolton Council rough sleeping team worked with the homeless nursing team and social workers to provide mental health and substance use support. This teamwork helped residents create personal plans to move into more stable accommodation.
The initiative was launched as national figures highlighted by the charity St Mungo’s showed rough sleeping in England reached record highs in late 2025. Council leaders will now carry out a full review of the pilot by the summer of 2026. The results of this study will help officials decide whether to bring the Sleeper Pods back to the community for next winter.
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