Forty-five artists took part in Bad Behaviour art collective’s Ideal Homelessness Show in December raising a fantastic £1,000 for the Pavement. Organiser Araba Ocran said: “We wanted to make a space where homeless people are visible, creative and relevant.” Mission accomplished as there were 120 visitors plus the staff and residents of Great Guildford Street Hostel who “made us feel very welcome.” Our striking cover is by one of the Bad Behaviour artists, James Tuitt to highlight racism in the fashion and beauty industries, with a focus on celebrating the vital contributions black models are making to fashion/ art/beauty images despite the rejection they face.  More show pix on Instagram @b_behaviour and twitter @B_Behaviour © Bad Behaviour

Christmas visit

The Pavement’s From The Ground Up team, including most of the writers of this issue; homeless health charity Groundswell; the Pilion Trust (which helps homeless 18–25-year-olds) and students from University of the Arts’
London College of Communication met Guardian journalist Patrick Butler at the famous newspaper’s offices to learn about pitching homelessness stories.

Sharing stories

Tamsen Courtenay’s crowdfunded book Four Feet Under, untold stories of the homeless in London, features around 30 interviews with people living in central London. “I’ve had hundreds of people read it and say, ‘It’s changed the way I relate to homeless people',” says Tamsen. “But unless there’s a sea change, I can’t see how homelessness will go away – it’s not a society that looks after its vulnerable.”

Spiralling numbers

Analysis from the homeless charity Shelter shows that the number of homeless people in England, Scotland and Wales is increasing by more than 1,000 a month.

Shelter finds that there are 320,000 homeless people by counting people in temporary accommodation, rough sleepers and single hostel spaces. In just one year the total number of homeless people has increased by 13,000 and that’s without including the hidden homeless population, such as sofasurfers. Shelter’s report also revealed that about one in every 52 people in London is homeless.

“The causes are multi-faceted and complex, but include lack of supply of decent affordable housing, lack of protection for private renters and freezes and cuts to welfare payments,” claims Shelter.

Read more: Homelessness in Great Britain: the numbers behind the story (Nov 2018) on England.shelter.org.uk

Broken record

When CNN reported that roughly one in every 200 people in the UK sleep rough, or are in temporary accommodation, James Brokenshire, the well-named Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, was adamant the Government could solve the crisis. Responding to the data, he said "Our rough-sleeping strategy, support for councils and those working on the frontline are helping to get people off the street and into accommodation as we enter the colder winter months.” We know better.

Glasgow shame

Business owners have lobbied Glasgow council to act tougher on anti-social behaviour, according to Glasgow Live. Without suggesting any initiatives the Glasgow Action Group (GAG) was critical of MPs and the council. Local homeless charities warned that GAG’s tone risked putting vulnerable homeless people in danger.

Listen up

More than 50,000 young people facing homelessness were left without meaningful support last year, despite approaching their local councils for help. Of the estimated 103,000 16- to 24-year-olds seeking help from councils, the Guardian reports that just half (48%) got any helpful advice. The research, produced by youth homelessness charity Centrepoint, shows that those receiving help had actually increased on the previous year (2016–17, when only 42% young people received support). Those who had no support last year (52%) should be protected by the new Homelessness Reduction Act, as they are guaranteed support moving forward. But Centrepoint warns that local councils have insufficient resources to meet the new demands.

• See www.gov.uk Homelessness Reduction Act A guide to the duty to refer

Christmas bonus

In 2017 the Welsh government promised to allocate £10 million to help end youth homelessness by 2027. In November Wales Online detailed that £3.7 million will go towards early intervention, boosting resources available to the education system and youth work services.

A further £4.8m will be spent on new housing options. This includes funding for innovative ideas on housing options. £1 million will be spent on providing basic financial support for young people. Finally, £500,000 will be split between tenancy support and communication programmes.

Missed target

Scotland's promise to develop 35,000 new homes for social rent by 2021 is one of the most important projects on the Scottish Government’s agenda. But by December 2018, halfway to deadline, only 11,825 social homes had been completed.

Grinch-y landlords

A boycott of companies, planning to donate a percentage of their Christmas profits to the homeless charity Shelter, was launched by a group of UK landlords. Housing industry website Property Industry Eye reveals that the National Landlords Alliance wrote to companies, including B&Q and Marks & Spencer, warning that they would no longer purchase products from the stores should they donate to Shelter. B&Q hoped to raise £25,000 for Shelter over the festive period, through sales of fairy dolls.

Art world

A pop-up art exhibition was opened in December, promoting the work of homeless artists. The exhibition, which took place in Bedford, hosted numerous works from artists who were using the services of YMCA Bedfordshire, Emmaus Village Carlton, Bedford Women's Refuge and the King's Arms Project, according to the BBC. Former rough sleeper Adam had more than 12 paintings on display and says his passion for art helped him beat his alcoholism. "We [homeless people] have a place in society and we can do some things better than most people. Stop the stigma,” he told the BBC.

Hungary’s homeless

Human Rights Watch has condemned the Hungarian government’s decision to criminalise rough sleeping. The Fidesz party, led by the far-right Viktor Orbán, first tried to criminalise rough sleeping in 2012 but was told it “violated human dignity”, the Financial Times reported. So Orbán set about amending the constitution.

The new constitutional ban came into effect in October 2018 and outlaws sleeping in a public space. Being caught more than three times gets you taken into custody and possessions confiscated.

Previously homeless residents at Emmaus Lambeth & Surrey raised £1,846.29 for the Pavement at their recent 24-hour spinathon. Emmaus was founded in France by a priest, but since the first UK Emmaus opened in Cambridge in 1989, it now has 29 communities stretching from Dover to Glasgow. Emmaus Lambeth & Surrey is non-religious and has just opened a second, seven-bed, property in Croydon.

At Bobby Vincent House in West Norwood the 27 residents, known as companions, are the spinathon champions. Here they work a 40-hour week – driving the van, collecting donated furniture, running the shops and household duties – in return for housing and life skills. To move in companions must stop claiming benefits but receive a weekly allowance of £35, a savings fund and budgeting support to prepare them for moving into their own place. At other Emmaus centres, companions run cafes, offer gardening and removal services.

• Would Emmaus suit you?
Find out more on www.emmaus.org.uk or call 07495 391 023 or email refer.el@btconnect.com