There are 236,000 people experiencing the worst forms of homelessness in Britain today, including those living on the streets, sleeping in cars, trains, and tents, or living in in unsuitable temporary accommodation.
Christmas is not such a joyous occasion for the homeless
You might wish you could do more to help those less fortunate, especially as the temperatures start to drop outside. But a YouGov poll commissioned by national homelessness charity Crisis, has revealed that despite feeling angry and upset about the state of homelessness across the country, 61% of us feel powerless to help.
And our concern for the issue is only growing. Almost three quarters of us say we are generally worried about the homelessness in Britain, and over half of us are more worried about it than 5 years ago.
But there are plenty of things you can do to help the homeless this Christmas. For instance, providing warm clothing like blankets, hats, scarfs, socks or gloves to a homeless person is a small gesture that goes a long way.
Buying a homeless person a hot drink, some food or giving some spare change is also a helpful and kind gesture, or simply having a conversation with them can lift their spirits.
Most importantly if you see someone sleeping rough, you should contact Streetlink (in England & Wales), or the local council in Scotland, to connect that person with the homelessness services in their area. If you have immediate concerns about their welfare, you should call 999.
There are also things you can do depending on what you are comfortable with.
Commenting on the survey, Jon Sparkes, Chief Executive of Crisis, said: “These figures show just how much people care about solving our homelessness crisis and doing something to help those who have nowhere to turn.
“Ultimately, homelessness can and must be ended. But until then, Crisis’ Christmas centres are a lifeline for thousands of homeless people across the country who would otherwise be sleeping rough in the bitter cold or trapped in often unsuitable temporary accommodation.
“That’s why we’re asking people to support our work this Christmas and year round – so we can be there for everyone who needs us, and give people in the most vulnerable circumstances support to leave homelessness behind for good.”
Crisis’ Christmas centres – run by Crisis staff and 11,000 volunteers – run 22nd-29th December across London, Edinburgh, Newcastle, Birmingham and Coventry.
People can support by donating £28.18 at https://www.crisis.org.uk/get-involved/reserve-a-place-at-crisis-at-christmas
Tagged in Charity