Homelessness is more than what you see on the streets; for the people experiencing it, homelessness is a complex web of experiences that have led to someone not having a permeant, safe home.

Homelessness is more than the absence of a safe place to sleep. It’s also the anxiety of not knowing when you’ll next have breakfast and the isolation of having nowhere you feel welcomed.

We work with people who have experienced some of the most difficult things you can imagine. They’re remarkably strong in the face of so much hardship and trauma.

These traumas can have long-term effects, with 80% of people sleeping rough reporting mental health concerns.

In addition, more than 50% of those asked by Crisis shared that sleeping rough has made it hard to live a ‘normal’ life again. The experiences people face while sleeping rough often stay with them for life.

It can often become a mental, as well as physical, state of being.

What impact does this have?

Not having a secure place to call home can also lead to health issues such as drug and alcohol dependency as faced by over half of Londoners experiencing homelessness. This can make finding support difficult.

Current systems don’t cater to everyone with appointments being tricky to attend (if a person can access an appointment at all). But this lack of intervention can lead to severe health problems, creating a tough cycle to break.

This means that while many people we see on the streets are willing to work hard to get better, support is often inaccessible to them.

We’re working to overcome this in our advocacy work.

This is a leading cause of death within the homeless population, with someone passing every 7 hours on average.

But this doesn’t always occur in the streets. In fact, a person facing homelessness is more likely to die once off the streets if the support they’re provided isn’t suitable.

Clearly, more must be done to protect people and reaffirm their growth, rather than prevent it.

Homelessness doesn’t always look like street sleeping. It takes many forms that can be difficult to recognise.

Homelessness takes different forms. The main four types of homelessness are rough sleeping, statutory homelessness, hidden homelessness and people at risk.

About homelessness and rough sleeping

The most severe and visible form of homelessness is rough sleeping. The Connection at St. Martins work with people in this category most often.

On any one night official estimates show more than 4,000 people are sleeping rough in England. This figure is probably an underestimate, because it is based on surveys, which don’t always find everyone who could take part.

Using a range of other data, the charity Crisis has estimated that the true figure is about 8,000 people sleeping rough on any one night in England. In reality, many more sleep rough at some point during the year as people move on and off the streets.

For London, the facts on homelessness are much more severe as the capital acts as a magnet for people sleeping rough.

In fact, recent data from CHAIN tells us that 11,993 are currently sleeping rough in London. This is a record high. We are located at the centre of the issue, in Westminster, which has the highest rates of homelessness of any UK borough.

Other forms of homelessness

In addition, there are about 80,000 households in England that meet the statutory definition of homeless. This means local authorities must secure a home for this group which often leads to temporary accommodation.

This can often feel like a state of ‘limbo’ for people as they move from place to place with no sense of comfort or security as most of us enjoy in our own homes.

This housing is also only available to a limited group of people making finding support a tiring and unsuccessful process for many, especially migrants, people moving on from convictions and those with substance use issues.

We’re working to make this system more equal and will continue supporting those in need of help until temporary housing is made available to them.

Finally, there are many more “hidden homeless” without a permanent home but not meeting the statutory definition.

These include people living in uncomfortably overcrowded accommodation, or moving between unsuitable places (also known as sofa surfing).

There is no reliable data on how many people live this way, but it is estimated to be many tens of thousands.

There is also a rising number of people at risk of homelessness especially as the cost of living crisis continues. In 2023, homelessness increased by 14% in England. This will continue growing unless more is done to prevent the most at risk being pushed to the edge.

The effects of all forms of homelessness can damage a person’s health and well-being. This can be both immediately and over the long term, and stop them from achieving their potential. This can cause homelessness to continue with little access to support.

There is no simple answer to this. Everyone’s story is different and complex, making the facts on homelessness less simple.
Factors like:

Mental health

Drug addiction

Unsupportive personal networks

Rising rents

Job loss

And more can all increase a person’s chances of becoming homeless, especially when combined.Theses causes are largely predetermined by birth.

Additionally, being part of a marginalised group can increase our risk of becoming homeless. Women, for example, are more likely to be forced onto the streets after financial, physical or emotional abuse by a partner.

Learn more about how we support women experiencing homelessness here.

Normally, we see a mixture of social, economic and personal factors that bring someone to our centre. With the right support, these are something we can work with people on to overcome.

All these factors are preventable if early and large-scale intervention is taken. For example, more affordable and accessible housing could make a huge difference.