Refugee crisis

Research by Naccom, the umbrella organsiation representing numerous charities and organisations working with migrants, refugees and asylum seekers, revealed in November that refugees experiencing homelessness in the UK has risen by 99% in the past year, up to 1,941. Meanwhile, the figure jumps to 4,146 when factoring in asylum seekers and other migrants, reports The London Economic. Bridget Young, the director of Naccom, said: “Our research shows that thousands of people each year are needlessly pushed into destitution as they go through the asylum and immigration system. Urgent change is needed to ensure that the system doesn’t keep driving up levels of homelessness.”

Far from home

According to the Manchester Evening News, homeless families are being relocated from London to Manchester, often with little say in the matter. MPs heard numerous such stories at the parliamentary inquiry into children living in temporary accommodation, held on 5 November. Dr Laura Neilson, CEO of the Shared Health Foundation, which supports homeless families in Greater Manchester, told the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committe: “I've seen families arrive up North from all over the country. I know that, as an area, we've also sent families. We had one family who were homeless in Oldham and got sent to Hastings for some bizarre reason. The distances are huge. But we don't have a national picture because we don't collect the data.”

© Rey Trombetta
Streetwise Opera, the opera company working with homeless people across the UK, is facing a fight to survive. The company needs £120,000 to guarantee its future and has launched an emergency appeal. As Rachael Williams, chief executive of Streetwise Opera, explained: “This emergency appeal is vital to ensure that Streetwise Opera can continue to support people experiencing homelessness as they rebuild their lives. Every contribution will help to sustain our work providing life-changing opportunities that empower individuals and challenge the way society views homelessness.” streetwiseopera.org

Man with a plan

London mayor Sadiq Khan is aiming to end rough sleeping in the capital by 2030. To help achieve this his office is running a Plan of Action, asking for feedback from people in the city on how to structure the framework of reaching the project’s desired goal. Although the feedback form is open to everyone, the mayor’s office is particularly keen to hear from people with lived experience of homelessness or rough sleeping and from people working with the homeless community. The feedback form and call for evidence closes on 3 December 2024.

• You can fill out the form here: www.london.gov.uk/programmes-strategies/housing-and-land/homelessness/rough-sleeping/mayors-rough-sleeping-plan-action/call-for-evidence

Law breakers

Homelessness charity Centrepoint has recorded 564 instances of English councils breaking the law by turning young people away when they ask for homeless support. The figure is for the year 2023-24 and includes cases of young people with children or were pregnant being turned away by their local authority. Under the Homelessness Reduction Act and Housing Act, it is incumbent on local authorities to provide homelessness assessments and temporary accommodation to vulnerable people. However, councils complain of a lack of funding to carry out this duty. Paul Brocklehurst, Centrepoint’s senior helpline manager, is in agreement: “The blame can’t just lie with councils,” he told the Guardian. “Decades of chronic underfunding from central government have forced many to make impossible decisions around who gets what support.”

© Koestler Trust
Awards show: The Koestler Awards 2024 edition runs from 1 November to 15 December, held at Royal Festival Hall on the Southbank, London. This is the 17th annual awards show run by the trust, which features artworks created by people in the criminal justice system, such as prisons, secure hospitals, secure children’s homes and immigration removal centres, as well as those on probation, community sentences and youth offending teams. The 2024 exhibition is titled ‘No Comment’ and is co-curated by Turner Prize winner Jeremy Deller and former prisoner-turned-artist John Costi. koestlerarts.org.uk

Hotel headache

Edinburgh City Council is moving hundreds of people out of unlicensed temporary accommodation, following an emergency housing committee held on 13 November. The move comes after the council was heavily criticised for breaking a law it put in place to protect people experiencing homeless. In 2024 it was revealed the council was using 700 rooms across 30 unlicensed homes of multiple occupancy to temporarily house homeless people. This went against a law requiring temporary accommodation to be licensed if it used for multiple occupancy. So, the council has moved to end its use of these homes by early December 2024, only, it hadn’t found appropriate replacement accommodation at the time the Pavement went to print in late November. STV News reported charities’ concern that the upheaval would cause stress to the people affected and that many will end up sleeping rough, due to a lack of suitable accommodation.

Footy corner

Celtic Football Club invited members of the public to sleep out overnight at Celtic Park, Glasgow, the team’s home stadium in November, managing to raise an impressive £50,000 for the Celtic FC Foundation. The foundation supports people experiencing homelessness, as well as local families facing poverty, refugees and pensioners. Glasgow Live reports more than 125 people took part in the sleep out, which saw fans brave freezing temperatures in sleeping bags and tents. Meanwhile, the Rangers FC Charity Foundation, which similarly supports vulnerable people, held its 7th annual sleep out event at the club’s Ibrox stadium. In those seven years, participants have raised a whopping £240,000 for the foundation. Rangers have gone a step further in their charitable endeavours this winter, gifting three points to whatever team is in desperate need over the festive period. The Christmas spirit is truly alive and well!

Scot free

Glasgow City Council service manager Lisa Ross has been offered an alternative to prosecution, having been arrested for hurling abuse at Homeless Project Scotland volunteers in August 2023. Founder of the charity Colin McInnes lodged an official complaint, telling the council Ross approached volunteers in an “extremely aggressive manner” and directed “derogatory slurs” and “offensive remarks” towards him and his team. Fast forward to October 2024 and Ross has avoided serious punishment. “I’ve seen people taken to court and hammered for less. I want an investigation into every inch of how that case was dealt with,” McInnes told the Daily Record.

New target

Wheatley Group, a housing, care and property-management group, is planning to build an additional 1,000 homes for council use to alleviate the homelessness crisis in Scotland. The group had already committed to providing 10,000 properties to homeless people by 2026. According to The Scotsman, more than 8,300 people experiencing homelessness have been provided accommodation by Wheatley Group since it started building the homes in 2021. About 60% of all new properties built by Wheatley Group in the country’s central belt are offered to homeless people, says a press release announcing the additional homes.

Housing first

The Greater Manchester mayor, Andy Burnham, says he is committed to adopting “a housing first philosophy like Finland,” in his effort to end rough sleeping. Burnham made the announcement at an event marking the success of Manchester’s own housing first pilot scheme. The scheme has supported 430 people with experience of homelessness into housing. Lauding the scheme’s success, Burnham continued: “It actually saves public money to do this [housing first],” he said. “It’s not as if we’re just asking for something, and it’s another pressure. The bigger you do housing first, the more you’ll save.”

Storm brewing

A troubling new law came into effect in Florida, USA, on 1 October. The bill, signed by governor Ron DeSantis in March this year, criminalises sleeping in public spaces. The mayor of Fort Lauderdale, Dean Trantalis, has rubbished the law, saying it will provoke a “tsunami of lawsuits” while doing nothing to solve homelessness in the state. Trantalis went further, calling the bill a “draconian mandate” which gives cities in the state “an onerous burden.” From 2022 to 2023, homelessness in Florida increased by 18.5%. Trantalis’s lawsuit comment references a clause in the bill allowing legal action to be taken against any municipality that fails to reduce rough sleeping.

Café Art’s MyLondon calendar is available for pre-sale, after a Crowdfunder was launched in August. The MyLondon project sees 100 Fujifilm QuickSnap single-use film cameras given to people experiencing homelessness in the capital. Roughly more than 2,100 photos are taken in a seven-day period. A selection of 25 photos is picked from these 2,100, with 13 chosen for the 2025 calendar.

• Learn more about Café Art and the MyLondon project on its website: www.cafeart.org.uk/mylondon
  

Tourist tax

A new tourist tax in Edinburgh will pay for the building of council homes, the city council claims. Councillors estimate the tax could raise up to £50m a year, which Cammy Day, the council leader, plans to use to ease the city’s housing crisis. Day has earmarked £5m of the annual income to be spent on borrowing £70m to build new council housing and other affordable homes. Overall, Day wants to spend 50% of the new tax revenues on housing programmes and improving public spaces.

Emergency again

Following the declaration of a national housing emergency by the Scottish government in May, councillors in Aberdeen have declared a housing emergency in the city. The council plans to write to the Scottish and UK governments to demand immediate support. The announcement arrived in September, following a meeting of Aberdeen’s housing committee. The action has been backed by homelessness charities and organisations, including Shelter. Gordon MacRae, assistant director of Shelter Scotland, told the BBC a “whole city view” was required to tackle the housing crisis.

From 7 August to 20 September 2024, the Saatchi Gallery in west London held an exhibition featuring artwork by artists with experience of homelessness. Homelessness: Reframed displayed works by artists from the UK and abroad. Promotional material for the show said the “exhibition will bring to life the breadth and complexities of homelessness across the country and give people an opportunity to engage with, and better understand, the stories of those with experience of homelessness.”

Gimme shelter

Campaigners have held a protest in Glasgow city centre against the closure of a homeless shelter. Homeless Project Scotland, based at 67 Glassford Street has been ordered to shut down by Glasgow City Council, though it has up until 18 October this year to appeal the decision. The shelter takes in around 35 people a night. The council claims it was forced to serve notice of closure after an unauthorised change of use of the building, as well as complaints from residents and businesses. The premises was apparently changed from an office to an overnight shelter without the requisite planning permission, according to the BBC.

Drawing a zipline

A 90-year-old Glaswegian pensioner ziplined over the Clyde to help homeless people in the city. Gladys Speedie was raising money for Glasgow City Mission, a Christian charitable organisation. Gladys told the Glasgow Times: “Having lived a long life I don't recall the issue of homelessness like I see it now. I only hope I can raise awareness of the need to give help now. Every little would help but more would be better!” Now, while the Pavement salutes her efforts, it says something about the state of funding for homelessness services and charities that a nonagenarian felt inclined to zipline over the Clyde…

The Museum of Homelessness (MoH) was founded, created and run by people with lived experience of being homeless. Each year it publishes information on people who died experiencing homelessness, as part of the Dying Homeless project. They also hold a vigil for those who passed, usually around the start of spring. However, this year the vigil is being held on 17 October, outside Downing Street, London, to coincide with the release of the latest figures from the Dying Homeless project.

Lawmakers/breakers

Edinburgh Council is breaking the law by placing homeless people in unlicensed houses in multiple occupation across the city. The number of households in temporary accommodation across the city has risen to more than 5,000 from 3,570 at the start of lockdown in 2020, with around £50m a year spent on temporary accommodation, reports the Edinburgh Evening News. The council’s own regulations require houses in multiple occupation to be licensed to ensure the safety of residents, a requirement the council has ignored when sourcing accommodation for people experiencing homelessness.

StreetsFest, the annual day festival run by StreetsKitchen, took place on 12 September. The festival, run in partnership with a number of organisations and with the support of Haringey Council and Islington Council, was held in Finsbury Park, London, close to the Museum of Homelessness by Manor House station. The festival featured a variety of services for people experiencing homelessness, including health services, a hairdresser, showers, food and live music and entertainment.

• StreetsKitchen runs several food outreach services across London. For more information, including where and when, see the List.
  

Village Vision

Vermont Construction Group will build a 40-home Embassy Village for the charity Embassy, addressing homelessness in Manchester. Set on land owned by Peel Waters, this modular housing project aims for completion in 2025. The village will offer modular homes for 40 homeless men and include a village hall, green spaces, allotments and a sports area. The Moulding Foundation has donated £3.5m for the first 24 homes, with an additional £1m needed for the rest. Embassy co-founder Sid Williams highlighted the project's sustainable, long-term strategy, aiding residents in finding work and managing homes.

Eviction epidemic

London’s streets are seeing more and more rough sleepers, driven by a dramatic rise in no-fault evictions. More than 1,500 renters found themselves homeless last year after being evicted by their landlords, as reported by the Big Issue. With a staggering 11,993 people seen sleeping rough in 2023/24, a 19% increase from the previous year, the crisis deepens. The delay in abolishing Section 21 evictions leaves many at risk, pushing them out with as little as two months’ notice. Campaigners and advocacy groups emphasise that the increase in homelessness is not just a statistic but a stark reminder of the real lives disrupted, as women, children and elderly individuals are left in extremely vulnerable and dangerous situations with nowhere to turn.

André by his Big Issue pitch. © Nick Cornwall
Book corner: André Rostant had his first book published by the Arkbound Foundation in July. The Muffin Man draws on André’s own experience as a Big Issue vendor, touching on the themes of homelessness, isolation and alienation. Speaking at the book’s launch, André said: “I want the book to make people challenge their own personal assumptions about street sleepers.”

• You can read André’s debut piece in the Pavement on page 14. To find out more about The Muffin Man, visit the Arkbound website here: arkbound.com/product/the-muffin-man-by-andre-rostant
  

Safe Haven?

Thousands of Ukrainian refugees in the UK face homelessness and exploitation, according to the British Red Cross. Over 9,000 of the 200,000 families staying in the UK risk homelessness due to strained relationships with hosts and difficulties in the housing market. Homelessness is four times more common among Ukrainians than the general UK population. There were 379 new arrivals weekly between February and mid-June 2024. Some have faced dire situations, including unsuitable housing and exploitation, with many being left to sleep on beaches and benches after being made homeless at unsociable hours. The British Red Cross urges the government to improve support and create effective resettlement plans. It is calling for increased assistance for private rental market entry and affordable housing. A report with Heriot-Watt University predicts 6,220 Ukrainian families will seek homelessness support by the end of 2024, a 13% increase from the previous year​.

Rising hope

Hope Rise, a ground-breaking project by ZED PODS, Bristol City Council, Bristol Housing Festival, and YMCA, has introduced the UK's first 100% affordable, net-zero carbon housing development. Situated atop a car park, this innovative project comprises 11 homes for vulnerable young people at risk of homelessness. It utilises precision-engineered modular construction, significantly reducing on-site disruption and ensuring high energy efficiency. With solar panels and energy-efficient systems, the homes are designed to minimise running costs.

Heartless Home Office

In an appalling display of bureaucratic failure, Thelma Campbell, an 89-year-old Windrush generation member, faces eviction and homelessness. Despite six decades of contributing to Britain, the Home Office cannot confirm her identity, denying her a British passport. With her Tottenham home deemed uninhabitable, London’s Haringey Council refuses to rehouse her without this critical document. As her family and community watch on outraged, this shocking case highlights the devastating mental toll on our elderly Windrush community, as they face life-disrupting events, loneliness, and homelessness under a heartless system that fails to recognise its hardworking citizens.

Chairman of the Seoul 2024 Homeless World Cup Lee Kuen-Ho poses with an AFC player of the tournament trophy in 2012. © AP Photo
Football for change: Big Issue Korea and the Seoul 2024 Local Organising Committee (LOC) have appointed former Korea Republic footballer Lee Keun-Ho as Chairman of the Seoul 2024 Homeless World Cup. Lee, who played 84 times for his country and scored at the 2014 FIFA World Cup, will guide the preparations for this transformative event. Set to take place at Hanyang University in September, the tournament will feature 64 teams from 49 countries, including over 500 players who have experienced homelessness. This eight-day festival of football aims to inspire change and raise awareness about homelessness through the universal language of sport. Lee expressed his honour and excitement in leading this initiative, emphasising that “by hosting this prestigious tournament, we [South Korea and the tournament organisers] will use football as a common interest to many across Korea and the world, raising awareness of the importance of housing rights, calling for change, and to expand social empathy around the global issue of homelessness.”

Future is now

Shelter, with 22 offices across England and Scotland, advised over 31,000 households in 2023. With the continuing housing crisis, the demand for its services has soared. Shelter has partnered with technology firm Ciptex to ‘enhance’ its efforts in supporting individuals at risk of homelessness. The new system – a multi-channel self-service contact centre powered by Ciptex’s technology – claims to provide personalised support, assigning each caller their own advisor and freeing up mainline advisors to tackle urgent cases.
But the ‘streamlined’ service delivery comes with a disappointing modern twist. AI-powered chatbots will be tasked with managing inquiries, removing a human element to the service. Strangely, Simon Weeks, CEO of Ciptex, suggested in a press release the collaboration is a bold step towards addressing homelessness with compassion.

• Find out more about what help and advice Shelter can offer you at: england.shelter.org.uk/get_help
  

Sight support

Scotland’s first eyecare clinic specifically for homeless individuals has opened at the Crisis Skylight Centre in Edinburgh, funded by Specsavers. This clinic, managed by Vision Care for Homeless People (VCHP), offers free eyecare services and operates from the new wellness floor, which also supports various health services. Over 60 attendees, including representatives from Crisis, VCHP and Specsavers, attended the opening event. Mark Kennedy of Crisis Skylight and Jenny Stephenson of Specsavers stressed the importance of making eyecare accessible to all. VCHP founder Elaine Styles praised the clinic, which includes a dispense area, as a testament to their partnership's success. This initiative aims to ensure equitable eyecare access and advocates for policy changes to better serve the homeless community. The collaboration hopes to expand these vital services and improve health outcomes for those experiencing homelessness​.

Swift removal

Ahead of Taylor Swift's concerts in Edinburgh in June, some homeless people have been relocated to Aberdeen and Glasgow due to a shortage of accommodation. Shelter Scotland criticised this as a “blatant injustice,” stating that homeless people should not compete with tourists for lodging. Edinburgh City Council is working to find alternative housing for those affected. The council attributed the issue to a broader housing emergency declared in November, marked by record homelessness, a shortage of social housing and high private rental costs. The Scottish government also declared a national housing emergency, emphasising the urgent need for a different approach. Shelter Scotland director Alison Watson highlighted the injustice, noting that families should not be forced miles from their communities, although the council maintains that using tourist accommodation for homeless households is a last resort​.

Housing Limbo

Linda McVean, a mother from Glasgow, has urgently called for action as she grieves the loss of her son, Frankie McVean, who was stuck in housing limbo. Her plea has highlighted a devastating issue: over 160 people have died in temporary accommodation due to the city’s housing crisis. Sarah Brown, whose son died waiting for permanent housing, urges urgent action. “We need safe, stable homes, not temporary fixes,” she said. Her call comes as Glasgow City Council faces intense scrutiny over systemic failures in providing adequate housing. The council has declared a housing emergency, acknowledging unprecedented pressures and urging both UK and Scottish governments for more funding. These tragedies underscore the dire need for immediate solutions to prevent further loss of life in Glasgow's housing limbo.

Temporary solutions

Homelessness in Glasgow has surged, with nearly 3,000 children now in temporary accommodation. The formerly SNP-run council’s housing emergency declaration has failed to curb the crisis. Labour MSP Mark Griffin criticised soaring rents, unaffordable mortgages and record homelessness, accusing the SNP of exacerbating the issue by slashing affordable housing funds. As of June, 7,371 people were in temporary accommodation, up from 7,265 in April, with £27m spent on private hotels and B&Bs in 2023/24 for the homeless. Campaigners demand immediate restoration of housing budgets and increased secure, permanent, social housing. In July’s general election, Scottish Labour won all six seats in the city.