Most people have either experienced homelessness at some point, at risk of it or know someone who has. A report by Shelter estimated that on any given night in 2019, more than 280,000 people in England were homeless. Many people experiencing homelessness are ‘hidden homeless’, those who are sofa surfing and staying from place to place. With the current pandemic, many more people are facing homelessness especially with the eviction ban coming to an end on September 21st. It’s clear that we have a housing crisis in the UK and the pandemic is only going to make the problem worse unless things change.
The Homelessness Reduction Act 2017 came into force on 3 April 2018. It made some significant changes to the previous act. Its main effect is placing increased duties on local authorities to assess an applicant’s needs and to prevent and relieve homelessness. Focusing on prevention is definitely a step in the right direction but since then the numbers experiencing homelessness have got worse in many cities across the U.K.
I have worked in the sector for the last 2 years and the experience has been eye-opening but also the most fulfilling thing I’ve done in my life. Although it’s been challenging, you meet people from all walks of life and do what you can to support them. It’s easy to become disillusioned with the current system and leave the sector altogether, but personally, I do what I can. I try my absolute best and that’s all I can do. Accepting that is essential in this line of work.
Sometimes conversations with friends and family come up about what I do and I get asked questions about certain stereotypical misconceptions. It’s clear people don’t really know what to do to help, part of it is that people have become desensitized to the issue and the media has a big role in spreading one imagine of homelessness. Someone who by some fault of their own ended up homeless, but that’s often not the case and truth is, most of us are a payday or two away from homelessness.
Before I get into my suggestions, I don’t have lived experience of homelessness so I thought I’d first share this reddit of what those who have experienced homelessness would recommend you can do to help.
- Have a conversation
You never know what you’ll find out if you just have a conversation rather than resorting to your usual automatic response if someone rough sleeping asks you for money. Last week I met someone sleeping rough who talked about trying to raise money to stay in a cheap B&B and that she and her partner have been rough sleeping for years. The conversation ended with her saying she would pray for me that night and I told her I would pray for her as well. It was an emotional moment. By having a conversation you’re acknowledging someone's humanity rather than ignoring them.
2. Ask people what they want
Once you’ve started a conversation or said hello, you can ask someone if there’s something they need like food or water. Don’t assume you know what’s good for someone you don’t know. This removes people’s agency to make choices. My friend once told me she saw someone giving a rough sleeper a frozen pizza, although I’m sure the person was well-intentioned, it’s clear people don't get it.
You may be given a list of items that seem random but your food choices might be strange to someone else. This doesn’t necessarily relate to those sleeping from sofa to sofa, they may not look typically homeless but also might be on the street asking for help. People who are rough sleeping sometimes resort to eating softer food items due to lack of access to dental care over the years as well as things that aren’t fiddly to open if years on street have weathered their hands.
Think about non-food items as well like face masks, hygiene products, sanitary towels, socks that are just as important. If it’s change that someone wants, give without assuming where that might go, those assumptions aren’t helpful. It’s your intention that matters.
3. Look into homeless support services/outreach teams in your area
Find out the local housing options team contact details or services supporting those with housing troubles in your borough or area. Support local grassroots organisations helping people experiencing homelessness either with your time, money or donations.
London Housing Foundation developed an Atlas of homelessness service which you can check out, this includes hostels, housing first services, street outreach provision, rough sleeping statistics, assessment centres.
4. Listen
There may be people around you experiencing homelessness and you may not even realise. Listen and be supportive. The support services out there aren’t common knowledge and people often don’t know where to even start to get support.
5. Download Streetlink
This is an app that helps connect those on the street with local outreach services who can get people support and check in on them regularly if they know where they tend to bed down. For those experiencing rough sleeping who have been in contact with outreach team, they’re given a CHAIN number, this stands for Combined Homelessness and Information Network. It’s a multi-agency database recording rough sleeping in London.
6. Don’t take anything personally
Sometimes people may not want your help or even a conversation, be understanding of this and just do what you can, whether that’s helping someone with information, a bit of change or just walking away to give the person space.
Mental health problems affect a lot of those experiencing homelessness and those who were homeless and now live in supported housing. Neglect, abuse and the ongoing impact of traumatic experiences in childhood are all factors which lead to this higher risk of mental ill-health. According to a report on the connection between trauma and homelessness, 66% of respondents said they had experienced 3 of more traumas.
8. Donate Items
Donating your used or new items is another easy way to help. Donate these items to local organisations like hostels. If you’re unsure, contact them directly to ask the type of things they need currently. Alternately, you could provide things to people directly if that’s what they want. People may need workwear or everyday clothes, shoes, household items, a mobile phone, things to help boost their creativity or help with a hobby for example gardening.
7. Educate yourself
There is a wide range of reasons people end up without a home and it’s important to understand this, it’s not just individual but also wider system issues. Some of the most common reasons are family or relationship breakdown, high rent costs, losing a job, low income, poor physical health, mental health problems, alcohol and drugs issues, bereavement, experience of care, and experience of the criminal justice system.
The media and homelessness charities haven’t helped change this image or aren’t doing enough to educate people. Let's be honest, showing someone as desolate tugs at peoples heartstrings but it’s also not helpful as it’s the only image people have when they think about homelessness and so there's less awareness of the wide range of circumstances that can lead to homelessness, awareness around prevention, invisible homelessness and psychologically informed practices in helping people.
I hope reading this blog has helped you understand some of the things you can do to help.
