Homelessness in the UK.
Homelessness in the U.K is seen as embarrassing by U.K Governments.
Caring for homeless people is possible. The homeless are real people.
By the end of 2019, there were 280,000 recorded homeless people in England. During the Covid pandemic “stay at home” lock-down, homeless people were provided dedicated accommodation in Hotels.
Caring for homeless people is possible, when Governments commit. The U.K homeless are real people, with real issues.
Local Councils
Local Councils should be made responsible for the homeless in their area of jurisdiction.
U.K councils already have obligations to provide accommodation for the Irish / English Traveller community, and towards the refugees / illegal immigrants arriving from the E.U.
No authority seems caring to the homelessness crisis.
Transit camps and B+B rents are paid for from our Community Charges. Our homeless people, who find shelter in shop doorways and on the streets throughout the year, are no authorities responsibility. Our own people, of all ages.
There are many empty shops etc in our High Streets now which could protect our homeless people.
Commitment
Commitment towards homelessness from each Local Council in England & Wales to refurbish just 1 empty shop in 1 High Street into homeless persons accommodation, much progress would be made.
Making a safe, dry, and warm environment is an act of humanity. Sufficient washing / showering facilities to ensure personal hygiene for any individual is surely a basic right in 21st century Britain.
These properties should be enough to make it an attractive alternative to sleeping on the streets. The properties need to be accessible to the Police and NHS staff to make regular, compulsory welfare checks.
Run on a joint charity / community / local council basis, this could make all the difference to local homeless people. Just an address can act as a launch pad for a homeless individual. Our homeless people are human beings too.
Homelessness & U.K Ex-Services personnel
Homelessness from the ex-services community is truly a National scandal.
The majority of Ex services personnel become homeless through Mental Health issues, not domestic issues. Mental Health issues developed through serving their Country. Positions which the U.K Government put them in, but no loyalty shown retrospectively.
Our Governments response to these individuals plight is to ignore them. Loyalty is not a Government attribute to those people who need help with housing, and often in many other areas. Governments have selective amnesia on this issue.
Perhaps the The Union Jack Club, London could help Homeless U.K ex-services personnel with a joint Govt. scheme / charity work basis. The Union Jack club talks these peoples language, they can relate to their experiences and troubles.
The Govt. needs to try to work with the Union Jack Club & The British Legion on this specific issue. Organisations who instil trust and reliability.
Correct support & commitment from a U.K Government, to be a caring, responsible U.K Government towards homelessness, should be a statutory duty.
A great number of homeless people have been victims to domestic (physical &/or sexual) abuse. Many feel safer on the streets than in the homes they escaped from. Most have Mental Health issues which have grown from their life experiences. And the Government ignores them.
For far too long British Governments have ignored these vulnerable people, and this is another National disgrace the U.K should be ashamed of. The homeless don’t protest, they don’t complain. Some are treated worse than animals by fellow human beings. But nothing ever gets done by Government to eradicate this hopeless life style.
We need a New Political Party who can give hope and to keep promises to these desperate people.
For more information, please contact these charities :-