By simply taking two minutes to say where and when they saw this, residents can help the council’s teams get the right support to these vulnerable people as quickly as possible.

Fife Council head of service, John Mills, said: “Rough sleeping isn’t usually a choice anyone would make. There are often a range of complicated reasons why someone is rough sleeping. It could be a relationship breakdown, mental health issues, unemployment, poverty, the list goes on.

“What we do know is that rough sleeping comes with a whole range of risk factors for the individual and has a huge impact on health and well-being, especially considering the recent weather. Rough sleeping affects physical and mental health, increases the risk of violence and exploitation, makes it harder to access services, support and employment, and it shortens life expectancy significantly.”

The online form is available at www.fife.gov.uk/roughsleepingsurvey.