Being homeless at Christmas can really knock your sense of self.
Of course, sleeping rough is difficult at any time of year. But as the cold weather creeps in and reminders of home comforts are all around, not having a safe and stable place to live can seem more daunting than ever.
With your support The Connection at St. Martin’s can bring people home.
More than that, we can remind them that someone cares.
How many people will be homeless at Christmas?
It’s estimated that just over 300,000 people will be homeless at Christmas this year.
According to Shelter, 309,000 people are currently homeless in England. This is up 14% on the previous year.
A big chunk of these people – 39% – are living in temporary accommodation. While this will provide protection from the elements, it isn’t the Christmas most of us wish for.
Conditions can vary but for many, the temporary accommodation they are offered will be unclean, unsafe and unstable.
Ultimately it’s a roof, not a home.
This is why we work with people for the long-term, beyond temporary solutions so that they can find home again, no matter how long it takes.
At The Connection, we mostly work with people sleeping rough in Westminster. This is the harshest form of homelessness and can be especially dangerous and lonely in the winter.
Estimates suggest that 2,050 people are sleeping rough in Westminster and we support many of them as they recover from life on the streets.
In reality, the figures are likely higher than this as it can be difficult to find and count everyone. For instance, we know that women often evade street counts for their own sense of safety.
What is it like to be homeless at Christmas?
We first found Michael sleeping rough on a freezing cold day January. Here’s what he had to say about facing homelessness at winter:
“My mental health was spiralling and I found myself walking the streets, too scared and cold to sleep. That’s the thing about sleeping rough. A lot of the time, you’re not actually sleeping. When it was freezing, I’d save up my money for midnight film screenings just to stay warm.
Christmas can be especially lonely. There are more people sleeping rough than this time last year, and as temperatures drop, it’s never been more important to make sure everyone on the streets feels safe and seen.
How can I help?
There’s lots of ways you can support people like Michael this Christmas.
Chatting with someone and offering a hot drink can make the world of difference. But if you want to be there for the long-term, supporting our work is always greatly appreciated.
A donation of any size could be the gift that saves someone from the worst of winter, and makes this their last Christmas without a home.
To find out more, tap the button below. Thank you.