We all depend on public services to help us. They should work for everyone in our society. Yet, people experiencing homelessness face multiple barriers when accessing healthcare. This can result in numerous and chronic health issues, even when some are easily treatable. Severe conditions can go undiagnosed and untreated for a long time, even resulting in avoidable deaths.  What are the barriers to healthcare?  Digital exclusion: A lack of ID, telephone and access to the internet makes making an appointment nearly impossible.  Stigma and fear of judgment: Fear of being judge ..read more

Our specialist health team improves access and engagement to healthcare for the Londoners we support, ensuring they get the help they need and deserve to improve their health and lead a fulfilling life.  Our Health Leads work across three main areas:  Improving diagnosis, engagement, treatment, and palliative care for our clients experiencing multiple disadvantage.  Forming partnerships with NHS services and health organisations to arrange regular in-reach and fair access to healthcare   Influencing and advocacy in partnership with charities and organisations  Wha ..read more

Kamil, 26, dreams of becoming an electrician and living in his hometown where he can be near to his family and friends. But Kamil has been stuck in temporary housing in North London for six months. He is unable to move on with his life because the Local Housing Allowance (LHA) isn’t enough for him to afford the rent in even the most basic of places. The LHA determines the amount of your rent that can be covered by benefits. The current level has been frozen at 2019-20 levels, despite London’s skyrocketing rent costs. It is now a leading cause of homelessness in London, with research showing th ..read more

Rough sleeping may be the most visible form of homelessness, but it's just the tip of the iceberg. Most people experiencing homelessness will not be on the streets. They will have a roof over their heads but not a permanent home to build a life and flourish.   Recognising all forms of homelessness is essential so people can get the proper support to rebuild their lives. Rough sleeping At bus stops, train stations, under bridges, in parks and nestled in shop doorways. These are just a few places where people sleep rough in our towns and cities.  It could be someone sleeping ..read more

Lainey, 21, lives at one of our specialist women’s homes in North London. She’s studying animal management with dreams of being a vet and working with animals in the countryside. Lainey’s future looks bright now, but life has thrown many challenges at her. Her mum died when she was little and then her Nan and Grandad passed away when she was living with them. Lainey and her brother moved in with her auntie, but, as we hear a lot, family doesn’t always equal love and support. At just 16, Lainey was living on the streets with no-one to help her.  “My auntie was verbally and physically abusi ..read more

When Melake escaped Ethiopia, he dreamed of building a new life. But the reality was to be much different. Ongoing bureaucratic issues with his asylum status meant he spent over twenty years homeless, sleeping on our city's streets. It wasn't until he had severe problems with his health that he got the support he needed. Our Islington Hospital Discharge service helped him get what he needed most: a home — the first in 30 years. Now, he's on the up and looking forward to the life he dreamt of. "I came to the UK in 1993. I had escaped Ethiopia and claimed asylum here, wanting to build a better f ..read more

At Single Homeless Project, we recognise that there are strong links between homelessness and domestic abuse, especially for women, and we are committed to working with partners to make sure survivors of domestic abuse receive the right response and support every time.  However, we also need to consider how we respond to perpetrators of domestic abuse who use our services and how we can accommodate and support them safely. If perpetrators of domestic abuse do not get their housing and support needs met, it is highly improbable that they will change their behaviour. To hear more about this ..read more

Homelessness is on the increase in London – more so than in any other area in the UK. Our analysis shows that one person in our capital city is forced into homelessness every 8.5 minutes.  There are many reasons why someone might become homeless – personal, social, systemic and political. As Londoners, we face some particular challenges not experienced as strongly by the rest of the country.  Here, we unpick the top four systemic and political reasons driving homelessness in London:  1. Not enough affordable housing  London’s population is nine times bigger than the second ..read more

Fred is a trained musician and music producer and lived in Enfield for thirty years. He would love to return to Enfield, to the community he knows, and rebuild his life. But he is stuck in emergency temporary accommodation until the Local Housing Allowance (LHA) is increased enough to afford basic rent. Fred is joining our call to the Government to increase the LHA immediately, not wait until April 2024.  When one of Fred's parents became ill in Rwanda, he left Enfield to look after them and had to stay for a number of years. Whilst he was there, he was in a terrible car accident and frac ..read more

Homelessness is on the increase in London – more so than in any other area in the UK. Our analysis shows that one person in our capital city is forced into homelessness every 8.5 minutes.  There are many reasons why someone might become homeless – personal, social, systemic and political. As Londoners, we face some particular challenges not experienced as strongly by the rest of the country.  Here, we unpick the top four systemic and political reasons driving homelessness in London:  1. Not enough affordable housing  London’s population is nine times bigger than the second ..read more