To raise awareness of what being homeless is really like.

"There’s also the issue of not having a home address, so can’t receive benefits"
They can, you don't need a fixed address to get Universal credit and/or PIP. Most welfare rights advice providers will allow use of the telephone/I.T. if you need to get online for benefits etc you don't need library membership. Then there's the drop in centers.

There needs to be more reporting to the police re violence. The police ime have an appalling attitude towards the homeless. But occasionally, when the violence is trauma, MH etc the court can at least direct the person to support rather than just out on the streets. Tbh a prison place would be more appropriate for some and better than back on the streets. It depends on if you agree that they are disposable and if you see other people disposable, because in some people's case it's either prison or dead.

Oops apologies@TimTamTime i misread. I thought you wrote 'and right to buy' but you wrote 'end right to buy'! We agree haha!

OP have you thought about working in a women’s prison or similar?
Or even just going in and speaking to them.

I work in a male prison and people like you are such great examples of how they can turn their lives around.

Many of the men in there are there because they were homeless and had absolutely no support.
They then get sent back out to hostels which are awful places and end up being sent straight back in.

There’s also the issue of not having a home address, so can’t receive benefits or get a job.
Let alone have a decent shower and clothing to wear to an interview.

Things are slowly changing but it’s not enough to help the majority.

OP what items did you wish people would donate and where’s the best place to take them to?

I dont agree that right to buy is part of the solution, councils selling up all their social housing for cheap/hugely discounted in the 80's and 90's is a massive part of why theres a housing issue now.
Better for the rental market to be much better regulated to give renters much more security, much more rental should be via housing associations and local authorities rather than private providers with secure tenancies as standard.

A major issue will be how to manage people who are intoxicated &/or aggressive. Is a drunk woman allowed in? Someone who might be intoxicated, might be psychotic? How do you decide? How do you manage people turning up with a dog?

Totally agree we need better services and these should be strictly sex segregated.

The main solution is preventing homelessness - better social housing, end right to buy, better social & mental health care for vulnerable adults, more substance use services & ramp the price of alcohol right up (huge fall in relative cost of booze in recent decades), support for teens in care etc.
All of which sounds expensive but would likely save money due to less longterm health, social & criminal justice use by the people supported.

As someone who currently works at a homeless hostel, I agree with everything you've said. (Just incase you get any naive posters questioning what goes on in the homeless community).

What lead to you becoming homeless?
The rules around not leaving the hostels between midnight and 6am are impossible for many addicts to follow. What do you think could be done about this?
I am really glad to hear of the help you had, and that your life is so different now.

In my area it's homeless hostels mostly. They need to be ran better, more staff, crack down on the drug use in them, throw out the violent residents etc. There also needs to be safer options, it isn't fair first women to be housed in a hostel full of sex offenders

Hard agree to all this. I've worked in many shelters and homeless provision. And trained, available present staff, the ability to ask violent people to leave, and smaller, safer places are needed.

The issue is that the numbers are growing, the issue people come with are getting worse, lack of healthcare for many things is getting worse, and philosophically, we are moving to 'meet people where they are at' rather than 'if you can't meet community standards, leave'. I know why but it's less safe for more vulnerable people.

High five to that barber, I'm glad to hear there are people out there who are willing to help. All the best OP.

I think many many people are only a few unfortunate events (or even ) one away from homelessnesss.

redundancy, addiction, bereavement, marriage break down, landlord ups your rent, cost of living crisis.

homelessness can slip up on you

Stop trying to pit one vulnerable group against another. Blame those with the most power for the things that are wrong.

Asylum seekers are not entitled to work or to mainstream benefits and are supported at a subsistence level far below these. If any are given phones or top up cards, it will be by independent non government funded charities, not the state.

What would good provision look like ideally?

Our local authority finds emergency accommodation for anyone who is street homeless. These are often single person bedsits, and are sometimes in a different place to where the person normally resides. I recognise it isn’t perfect but it seems like better provision than some places.

You’re one of life’s true heroines, OP.

I agree - women should have their own spaces for refuge. That doesn’t stop (rare-ish) women on women violence, but it does stop 99 per cent of VAW.

I did crisis at Christmas and I felt so much for the guests we served. Being homeless must be so so tough. Absolutely nothing but sympathy from me always

Not all the Dover lads jump
the housing queue @Attelina .

If they get rejected as refugees (they mostly aren’t) by the Home office after three years or so in a hotel, they have a fortnight to disappear before they’re deported.

One of our big probs at local shelter is increasing homelessness & no one speaking any English, which can be bastard tricky re emergency help.

OP, 💐 for life.

If we see a homeless person begging do agree with helping them with money? Or would you offer them food? How well can help support people

How did you manage to get off the streets? Have you got your own place now?