It’s World Homeless Day, but sadly, today is not a day to be celebrated. The reality of homelessness is stark, and unfortunately, the majority of people do not realise the scale, nor the implications, of our failure as a society to ensure that everyone has a safe place to call home.
Latest official figures state that in 2023-24, a staggering 358,370 households contacted their local authority for support after being threatened with homelessness or losing their homes; of these, 324,990 were assessed as homeless. In England we have record numbers of households living in temporary accommodation; 74,530 of them are families with children.
And then we have rough sleepers. Those who sleep in doorways, under bridges or makeshift tents and cardboard boxes. In Autumn 2023, the government snapshot of rough sleepers was 3898 people. That’s 3898 people who felt the first chill of winter as they tried to get some rest on the streets of Britain. If you agree with us that this is simply wrong then please read on.
We’ve put together a list of things that everyone can do to help solve the growing problem. You can be part of the solution.
- Demand change. The UK government promised a strategy to end homelessness. Let’s hold them to account. Write to your local MP.
- Contact your Local Authority/MP and demand that social housing provision be their priority.
- Raise awareness of homelessness on social media platforms. Get everyone talking about it.
- Follow charities that support the homeless and share their content.
- Talk to your friends, colleagues and family about your concerns for the homeless.
- Volunteer at House of Bread or your local soup kitchen or homeless shelter.
- Donate to House of Bread and/or any of the other wonderful charities that do the same work we do.
- Fundraise for House of Bread. Whether you want to run a marathon or host a cake bake, funds are always needed to support the vulnerable and homeless.
- Come to our events and support us.
- Get your place of work to consider doing a Corporate Social Responsibility day with House of Bread.
- Most importantly, care about other people. Living on the street is lonely and frightening, many feel invisible and worthless as the general public passes by. This leads to serious mental health issues. Saying a few kind words to a homeless person can make a difference, however small, even a smile can help.
- And remember, every single person deserves a place to feel safe and call home.