In 21st century Britain, everybody should have a place to live. When we have a place to call our own, we have the best chance of being healthy, living a fulfilling life and feeling part of society.

More than 170,000 families and individuals across Britain are without this most basic human need – a home. They are stuck in crowded and unsafe places, in hostels and night shelters, sleeping on people’s sofas and kitchen floors, or in cars, night buses, tents or even out on the streets. It doesn’t need to be this way. 

I am proud that our Skylight services have once again helped thousands of people on their journeys out of homelessness for good. By supporting people to find and sustain a home, to obtain employment or the skills and qualifications that will help them get and keep a job, and to build their personal health, wellbeing and networks of support, we are ensuring that they can move away from homelessness and move on with their lives.

At the end of our 50th anniversary year, we published Everybody In: How to end homelessness in Great Britain. This plan is the culmination of a year’s work analysing evidence from at home and abroad to show how we can end homelessness in 10 years. For the first time ever, we have a comprehensive plan that shows how we can address the root causes of homelessness. 

It’s our role to do as much as we can through our own services, and work with the sector and governments in England, Scotland and Wales to create change. Together we must persuade governments not to simply accept that homelessness happens,but to make sure that one day soon homelessness is a thing of the past.

Now we are armed with the solutions to end homelessness for good and we embark on our new strategy. It’s ambitious, but we must be. We cannot sit back and accept homelessness in 21st century Britain. Together, we will end it.

Over the last five years, out of necessity we have grown our organisation and our ability to support people. At the same time we believe we have enhanced our credibility and our reputation.

We are determined that the next five years is about focusing all our efforts on lasting change, through supporting people out of homelessness for good and securing the policy changes needed.

In every Crisis Skylight, we will build on current success and expertise to truly end homelessness for as many people as we can. 

Through our campaigning and policy work we will focus on the areas that will have the greatest impact on ending homelessness.Our top priority will be creating reforms that prevent homelessness.

To achieve this strategy, collaboration is paramount. We will continue to work closely with partners and colleagues across the homelessness sector and beyond.

We will work with politicians from all parties to make sure governments in England, Scotland and Wales prioritise ending and preventing homelessness

Above all, and crucial to our success, is that everything we do will always be informed by the experiences and insights of people with lived experience of homelessness. 

We are extremely grateful to the thousands of people who support Crisis every year, who generously give their time, money and voice to show that will we not accept homelessness in 21st century Britain.

By joining forces in every we can, together we have the knowledge, solutions and power to end homelessness in Britain for good.

We involve Crisis clients, known as members, in our work through a range of meaningful ways.

This year, members have helped us to design services, recruit staff and develop our strategy for 2018-23. Member Ambassadors have shared their experiences of homelessness at events across the country, increasing awareness and understanding of the issue and Crisis’ work.

The Experts by Experience panel, formed of volunteers with lived experience of homelessness, played a significant role in the development of Everybody In: How to end homelessness in Great Britain. 

Adel's story

“Since I’ve been working with Crisis, and since Crisis have been working with me, I’ve been building my confidence back up. I’m doing a lot of talks about my experience. I did one for JLL in Cardiff. They support Crisis with funding. As soon as I started speaking about my experiences of homelessness, they were all gob-smacked.

"I also volunteer with the Crisis arts and crafts club, and at the drop in advice afternoon. I really enjoy doing it. “It was brilliant doing the poem for World Homelessness Day up on the hill, we could see the whole town. It went really well. It was a brilliant day. I was nervous. No-one likes to see themselves on camera, but I had faith in myself. 

"It’s still early days, but in time, I’m hopefully going to do a course with Crisis that could lead to a peer mentor position, so I can help other people.”

This national plan to end homelessness – the first of its kind - shows the solutions that can end homelessness in Britain, including how long it will take and how much it will cost.

We used the best insight from at home and abroad to show how we can end homelessness for good. The plan was created using a widescale review of the best evidence worldwide, new research from leading academics and organisations, and over 1,000 experts were consulted on solutions.

The Experts by Experience panel, formed of volunteers with lived experience of homelessness, played a significant role in the development of Everybody In: How to end homelessness in Great Britain.

Ash, Experts by Experience Panel:

"Our biggest task on the Experts by Experience Panel was reviewing the plan to end homelessness, devising policy recommendations, putting them in order of priority and crafting the language to ensure it encompassed all of the messages people with lived experience want to get across.

"For me personally, I like thinking that all of our work will go on to benefit people and help them.

"Crisis isn't messing around - every single area is covered. If you all stick to this - we could end homelessness.

"I'm still living in the flat that Crisis paid the rental deposit for. I'm starting college soon - to do a peer mentoring qualification. I want to use my first-hand lived experience to support people out of homelessness."

Hannah Gousy, Policy and Public Affairs Manager:

"To develop Everybody In: How to end homelessness in Great Britain, we needed vital input from organisations working in and around the homelessness sector, and from people with lived experience of homelessness.

"So, we ran a consultation with more than 1,000 people across Britain and held 67 consultation events. The results fed into the plan that was launched in June 2018.”

Dame Louise Casey, Chair, Institute of Global Homelessness:

“In the late 2000s we lived in a country where the numbers of human beings forced to sleep on the streets was in the hundreds. It is shocking that in the last decade we have seen that progress reversed, to the tragic situation of thousands now sleeping rough every night. This should be to our national shame.

“I congratulate Crisis for seizing this important campaign and providing a solution to tackle all forms of homelessness, not only rough sleeping. Countless families are facing destitution and homelessness every minute and hour of the day.

“The time is right for a new national and political effort to tackle all forms of homelessness. Action must be driven not only by government, but also by communities nationwide.

“Crisis has provided us not only with the challenge to take up action, but in this plan, the solutions to make lasting change.”

Find out more about how to end homelessness

Help to Rent

Together with Crisis campaigners, we secured £20 million in the Autumn Budget for Help to Rent projects in England to support homeless people, vulnerable tenants and their landlords through the Home, No Less Will Do campaign. 

Ben Bradley MP:

“I hope that the Government will look closely at Crisis’s brilliant Help to Rent scheme, to support more people into secure tenancies and to reassure landlords, and consider including that in the Budget.”

Rt Hon James Brokenshire, MP, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government:

"It is vital we give people facing homelessness a route out of it and a chance to rebuild their lives. The private rented sector has an important role in this. This £20 million fund will allow councils to put in place vital new schemes so that those at risk will have the support to secure their own tenancy.”

Housing First

In May 2018, the government committed £28 million to pilot Housing First in Greater Manchester, the Liverpool City Region and the West Midlands. Housing First is a scheme that helps homeless people with complex needs.

Jon Sparkes, Crisis Chief Executive:

“This is a hugely positive step that underlines the Government’s commitment to ending rough sleeping by 2027. As our own Housing First study in Liverpool has found, for the most vulnerable rough sleepers and other homeless people, the best approach is to support them into a stable home of their own as soon as possible and provide them with individually tailored support to help them to stay there. International evidence has shown us that when Housing First is implemented at scale it achieves impressive results.”

Ending homelessness: progress in Scotland

Crisis’ Chief Executive Jon Sparkes was asked by the Scottish Government to chair their Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Action Group. The group made 70 recommendations to end rough sleeping, transform temporary accommodation and ultimately end homelessness in Scotland for good. All 70 proposals were immediately accepted in principle by the Scottish Government including limiting stays in unsuitable emergency accommodation to seven days for all homeless people, as called for by Crisis’ A Life in Limbo campaign, and moving to a default system of rapid re-housing. Scottish councils are currently preparing plans on how they will achieve this over the next five years.

First Minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon MSP, speaking in an interview with Jon Sparkes:

“Ending homelessness in Scotland is our aspiration and determination and should be the determination of governments everywhere. Ending homelessness would mean that we prevent more people from becoming homeless in the first place, when somebody does become homeless the objective should be to have them housed in permanent, sustainable accommodation as quickly as possible and if there’s a period when they’re required to be in temporary accommodation that it’s for as short a period as possible.”

Thousands of people joined Everybody In, calling for governments in England, Scotland and Wales to produce an action plan to get everybody who is homeless into a safe and stable home within 10 years.

“I'm in to end homelessness because I've been there twice. There are too many people on the breadline and it only takes one thing to tip the balance and lose everything.”

Anon, Staffordshire

“I’m in to end homelessness because everyone should have a home – it's a basic right.”

Anon, Llansteffan

“I’m in to end homelessness because everyone deserves the safety of a roof above their head at the end of the day.”

Anon, Scotter

“I’m in to end homelessness because it’s wrong for us to continue to let it grow.”

Anon, Guildford

“I’m in to end homelessness because we need to do more in this day and age. Homelessness should not be happening."

Anon, Dunstable

“I’m in to end homelessness because everyone deserves a place they can call their own.”

Anon, Glasgow

Politicians responded with their own reasons for supporting the Everybody In campaign:

“I'm in to end homelessness because one person sleeping rough on our streets is one person too many. With the right policies in place, there is nothing inevitable about a person becoming homeless.”

Will Quince MP, Conservative Party

“I'm in to end homelessness because no one should have to sleep rough or live in dangerous circumstances. Through long term-action and proper cross-party coordination, homelessness is something that can be ended.”

Liz Twist MP, Labour Party

“I'm in to end homelessness because it is unacceptable in one of the largest economies in the world. No one in our country should have to wonder where they will sleep at night. If we work together we can end homelessness for good.”

Tom Brake MP, Liberal Democrats

“I'm in to end homelessness because the levels of homelessness and the numbers of people and families not living in secure housing to meet their basic needs is unacceptable and must be addressed.”

Alex Rowley MSP, Scottish Labour Party

“I'm in to end homelessness because everyone has a right to a safe, affordable and secure home. Scotland has amongst the most progressive homelessness legislation in the world - working together we can ensure homelessness is eradicated for good.”

Tommy Sheppard MSP, Scottish National Party

“I'm in to end homelessness because a decent home is a human right.”

Helen Mary Jones AM, Plaid Cymru

“I'm in to end homelessness because everybody deserves a place to call their own.”

Julie James AM, Welsh Labour Party

“We still need a plan to get everybody into a safe, stable home”

David Melding AM, Welsh Conservative Party

We need Everybody In to end homelessness. Are you in? 

Crisis volunteers make a remarkable contribution. Their gift of time enables Crisis to extend and enhance the services we offer to people who are homeless, both through our day-to-day services and through our Christmas centres.

Volunteers also provide additional resources and expertise in our offices, campaign and help raise vital funds. They help make our shops vibrant and successful parts of the local community.

The passion, commitment, experience and hard work of volunteers enables Crisis to change people’s lives.

Gwen's story

Gwen has been a Crisis volunteer for four years in a variety of roles including helping out in English and literacy classes, cooking classes and at Christmas events. 

“When I was looking for voluntary work, I found out about Crisis and saw they did a ‘Yes we can read’ class for adults. I was very interested – so that’s why I started to volunteer with Crisis. I really enjoy it.

“Personally, I like helping people and I care about people. I try to do what I can with Crisis Skylight Merseyside. The more I’ve seen of the classes –I think the whole education programme is brilliant, it’s what people need. It’s like a stepping stone, which is what I like about Crisis and what they offer. It’s not a case of feeding homeless people, that’s just not enough is it.

"The very first thing I did was help out at the Christmas event. Then I started helping out in English classes and reading classes. I’ve been doing a cookery class for the last 18 months, I just absolutely love it. There’s a chef who’s the tutor and then I’m supporting the members. 

“I like working with people, I love talking and I like having a laugh with them. My job as a carer doesn’t pay too well - it doesn’t stretch very far but that doesn’t stop me helping people. You’ve got to inspire them, you can use your story and your life to inspire someone else to change their lives.

“What I like to see is when I meet a member at one event and then I come back at Christmas and they’re volunteering. They’ve got the Crisis t-shirt on and they’ve done really well - you can tell they’ve progressed.

"Before I volunteered, I assumed homelessness was only people living on the streets. I thought hostels were for people backpacking around Europe - I didn’t realise how many people were actually homeless. I didn’t realise how bad it was, the different types of homelessness.”

“Some people would say about my volunteering ‘So you do all that...for nothing’ and I would say ‘Yeah, it doesn’t matter, I believe in passing on your skills to help someone and it’s costs me absolutely nothing to do that’.” 

Michael Phillips, head of volunteering:

 “We know how busy modern life can be, and that time is becoming more and more precious. Crisis values every hour of time from each volunteer and never takes their gift for granted.”

Volunteer with Crisis

We support people through a range of housing coaching and classes, to equip people with the tools and knowledge needed to rent successfully. Private renting is often the only way for homeless people to find a home, but there are lots of barriers. Where the housing market allows, we will also support people into homes with local authorities or housing associations.

Our comprehensive pre-tenancy training course, Renting Ready, provides people with guidance on budgeting, DIY, finding flatmates and paying bills, in order to develop the skills needed to live well independently.

This year we assisted 832 members to find housing and 1,128 members said that their housing situation has improved since working with Crisis.

Sharon's story:

Sharon became homeless following a relationship breakdown. Initially she was sleeping rough, then she sofa surfed with a friend while she maintained her job to save for a deposit for a place of her own. However, six months after moving in to her flat, she fell behind on payments and was unsure of her rights.

Sharon: “I didn’t understand. I suffer with chronic depression, and the stress from the estate agency was too much. I owed them £250 and they kept on sending me eviction letters."

Sharon became homeless again, and moved into temporary accommodation. Here she met Jeanne-Marie, a Crisis coach.

Jeanne-Marie: “I went to the hostel Sharon was staying in and persuaded her to come and try our ‘Renting Ready’ course. At first she said ‘no it’s not for me. I haven’t been in a classroom for years. I don’t know what it will be like.’ But she came!”

Sharon: "It was great! So interesting. Now I understand what a tenancy agreement is. For the first time, I started to understand that I wasn’t in the wrong and it wasn’t my fault.”

At Crisis, Sharon has also completed courses in IT, budgeting and literacy, and received support with her mental health.

“Now I’m in college doing health and social care. And now I’m in my own flat too. It’s wonderful! I can’t even explain the way I’m feeling - it’s like bubbles inside of me. I feel like I’ve just started my life again.

“If it wasn’t for Crisis, I think I’d still be there in that hostel, and my reading and everything would still be bad. I want to thank them for all that they’ve done for me. Being homeless wasn’t nice. And when I came through the door they didn’t turn their back on me. They encouraged me and let me feel warm and welcome.

“There have been a lot of ups and downs. The experience broke me down to the point where I was crying. But Jeanne-Marie has really given me a lot of confidence. She said: ‘OK Sharon, don’t give up, we’re gonna work on this, we’re gonna do this!’ And we got there in the end.

“I’m happy I met Crisis. They’ve improved so many things in my life – my confidence is bursting.”

Having a job helps people to improve their financial security, rebuild confidence and regain independence. We support people to look for and maintain work, and through employment coaching we help people to find a route towards a new job or career.

Working in partnership with a range of organisations - including employers, training providers, colleges and other homeless organisations – means we can find appropriate opportunities and jobs.

This year we supported 784 members into work.

Con's story:

Con had a challenging childhood but went on to succeed at university and established a career in project management. But he found it difficult to cope and turned to alcohol and cocaine. Everything became too much and eventually Con lost his job and his relationship broke down. After staying with a friend for a while, he had to leave due to his addiction but had nowhere to go.

“When I started rough sleeping, I registered as homeless with my council but I couldn’t prove that I’d been in the borough long enough to get any help. I didn't have a rental agreement to show them, to prove my connection to the area, as I’d been renting from a friend. I got legal aid and challenged the council’s decision, but after two years it ended with no resolution.”

When Con was diagnosed with cancer it was a turning point; he stopped drinking and taking drugs. Soon after, he went to Crisis where he has had support with housing, employment and wellbeing.

“My housing coach helped me find a room to rent. I was scared about how to manage benefits and rent, and I’d been burying my head in the sand until then. She helped me feel confident.

“My job coach helped me with CV workshops and motivation workshops. I started to come out of myself, and to get job interviews. I slowly became more independent.

“I went to the creative writing course at Crisis every Saturday. It made me realise the power of the pen. I wrote poems about my past.”

Con is now working full-time as a trainee support worker and is committed to helping others who are experiencing homelessness.

“It feels important to use what I’ve been through to help others”.

We provided practical, on-the-job training at Café from Crisis and Shop from Crisis outlets which can lead to careers in hospitality, catering and retail. We redesigned Crisis’ café training programme, to improve the offer available for members to gain first-hand retail and catering experience.

This year 137 people took part in Crisis’ retail or café training programmes.

Hepzibah's story:

Hephzibah became homeless after being evicted by her landlord who wanted to sell the property.

“When I was getting evicted, I had nowhere to go. I went to the council, they said they couldn’t help me. The shock from being housed to being on the street. Oh my god.

“If it wasn’t for Crisis, I wouldn’t have a home now. Because it was by accessing Crisis’ services that I got into the night shelter and then a studio flat.

“I did the retail training programme at Crisis – I successfully completed that and I have my certificate, thank you! I trained at the Crisis shop in Elephant and Castle. Beautiful people there. The shop is lovely. I got to know the local people in the area. I’ve been volunteering there ever since.

“Doing the retail training programme at Crisis meant I could go and get a job at the pub, and apply for other jobs. I’ve just been offered a new job with a catering agency.

“I was taken through the preparations for renting with Crisis – I did the Renting Ready course. And I have the booklet. I’ve been glancing through it every now and then. The course helped me in lots of ways – things I didn’t know. Especially dealing with landlords – the Landlord and Tenant Act. Different types of tenancies and your responsibilities.

“Although I’m a very positive, confident person – one always needs support. Crisis supports you. And gives you, I don’t know, a helping hand or a shoulder to cry on and the promise of something better somewhere down the road.”

Our range of courses and classes helped people to develop skills, restore a routine and a sense of purpose.

This year 1,432 people gained qualifications and a total of 3,223 qualifications were awarded.

Veena, Accredited Learning Manager:

"Qualifications empower people with the skills and confidence to progress into employment, further education and volunteering. It's all part of helping people on their journey out of homelessness.

"Whether it's literacy, numeracy, IT, English for Speakers of Second Languages (ESOL), catering, or painting and decorating, taking ownership of their learning can lead to people taking ownership of their lives. For someone who's homeless, attending a course can help them to have a more structured life.

"We create a safe, nurturing and inclusive learning environment to suit individual needs. That way, we can help even the most marginalised people with strategies to cope in their everyday lives."

Throughout the year we supported 11,356 people overall, and of these we worked more intensively with 6,079 people, to help them rebuild their lives and leave homelessness behind for good.

James, Smart Skills tutor at Crisis Skylight Edinburgh:

“I first met Viki when she was doing education classes and SQA qualifications at Crisis. Ultimately her goal was to get back into employment. I’ve seen her confidence grow through taking part in classes and volunteering here, and now she’s secured her own tenancy and a job at a homeless agency. The combination of all these things has offered her structure and helped her start looking ahead.

“It’s hard to put into words how well she’s done, especially considering the setbacks she’s faced. She's got back into employment and I really admire her for that. It takes a lot of courage and resilience.”

Viki's story

Viki did well at school and went on to university, gaining good employment in the university after completing her degree. Towards the end of her degree, she became involved with someone who, unknown to her at the time, was a drug addict, and this led to a 15-year long cycle of addiction.

“I first became homeless a few years ago. I started a new relationship with someone who I hardly knew, in order to escape from a relationship which was extremely abusive. My choice here was between living in fear and violence, or leaving and becoming homeless. So, I chose to leave and declare myself homeless with my new partner.

“We were given bed and breakfast accommodation. This brings to mind visions of cosy holidays and a full English breakfast, but the reality was far from the truth. A barely habitable room with one double bed, and one toilet and shower between 12.

“Fast forward a couple years, and I wanted to break free from drugs, but my partner did not - so the relationship broke down. We had a joint tenancy, but he refused to move out, so I became homeless once again. I felt I had to do this or remain addicted to drugs. This was another choice - remain in a drug-fueled lifestyle or become homeless.

“I was lucky enough to be allocated to supported accommodation, as I was on a drug treatment and testing order, and the accommodation staff were supportive and hands-on.

“It was there that I found out about Crisis. I had seen one of their courses advertised and I was keen to go to classes to fill my days and keep me busy - this was key to my recovery. I needed to be out of the hostel and away from other residents - many of whom were addicts and had other complex support needs.

“I liked that Crisis offered diverse and more unusual courses, as well as the more standard literacy/numeracy and IT based ones. I did several courses there, and gained qualifications and skills including working with others, which taught me a lot about myself and how I could fit back in to society following my struggles. They helped me with CV writing, application forms and interview techniques too. And I gained confidence in social settings through going to events to receive my certificates.”

“I am now happy in my tenancy and have been drug free for some time. Crisis staff have stayed in touch with me regularly, after I eventually secured a tenancy and started to apply for work.

“I am now in a job I love and my life has been transformed. A lot of people don't have the strength and support and face this alone. I feel very lucky. Many people are still facing challenges like I had every day.”

Liam experienced homelessness, addiction and prison over many years but finally got the help he needed in his 30s. He now works at Crisis Skylight Oxford as a progression coach.

“All my childhood I lived in a chaotic, dysfunctional family. From age 16 I was homeless, living in squats, on traveller’s sites, and in prison. I was lost in addiction and a cycle of chaos. Eventually, Class A drugs and street homelessness became my life.”

“The change started when I asked for help. At 35 I took the support that I was offered. I then found myself off the streets, in a shared house. I had no qualifications so I did an adult literacy and numeracy course at a local college.”

“I got a job working for a charity involved in substance misuse, the criminal justice system and residential rehab.”

“I now work as a progression coach at Crisis Skylight Oxford. As part of my work, I help people who are homeless to start their own process of change and move forward. I also write and deliver short courses for a local college.”

“At 48 I find myself married to a wonderful, understanding and caring person, with a mortgage and family relationships that have been repaired. I have two grandsons and a niece who I love to spoil. I also have me; my integrity, self-belief, pride and positive mindset knowing I am not alone, I am lovable and capable.”

Experiencing homelessness can have an overwhelming and damaging impact on a person’s physical and mental health. Crisis offers a range of classes, social activities, one-to-one coaching and access to healthcare services, to help improve people’s health and wellbeing.

Our health and wellbeing coaches help people identify specific challenges and rebuild the self-esteem shattered by homelessness. As well as offering tailored, individual support, people can meet GPs, opticians and access specialist help with addiction or other complex health issues.

This year, 2,556 members told us that their wellbeing had improved while they had been with Crisis and 2,131 members said that their relationships and networks had improved.

Claire, Mental Health Coordinator at Crisis Skylight Merseyside:

“Mental health can affect anyone, and of course Crisis members are going to have times of emotional difficulties, so I think the mental health service we provide is so important.

“My role involves offering one-to-one wellbeing support to Crisis members, which can vary from person to person in terms of what they need.

“One to one support is so important. Many people are disenfranchised and not listened to, so we’re able to give them a safe space to talk about how they’re feeling, and inspire hope in people as well. We keep the door open for people. We work together with people to set goals and support them along the way to achieve them. We help signpost people to other services, too.

“We run a wellbeing café, which is a social space where people can come along for cake and a chat. We also have classes including yoga, mindfulness and managing your mood. These are safe spaces for people to come along and look at ways of positively managing their mental health and wellbeing.

“Recently, I've been working with a woman who was referred by our drama coach. She'd fled domestic violence, and was struggling with issues including depression and anxiety.

“We worked with her around very practical skills around improving her confidence, self-esteem, and signposting her to the freedom programme, which is for victims of domestic violence. She was so broken by this man and what he’d said, so unsure of herself, but in our last few sessions it was amazing to witness the shift in her self-esteem and confidence, and her hopes for the future.

“Through working with her, she’s now in her own place and she’s started college. Seeing her in her own home - she’s so proud of it. She’s settled so well into the community and reconnected with her family.

“We now work with a lot more refugees and asylum seekers, or people with no recourse to public funds. It’s difficult because it’s dealing with that hopelessness people feel when they have no other options. So we have seen a real shift in the demographic of our membership, which we’ve responded to as a Skylight, and we’ll continue to do so. At the moment we’re dealing with significant cuts to public services in Merseyside, particularly with mental health.

“The service we provide is changing all the time - we’re very responsive and focussed on what members need and the wraparound support we offer.”

We work with landlords to ensure a supply of places to live – both directly and through projects we support across Britain. This has also involved supporting local organisations to improve access to accommodation, and sitting on the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) advisory group for the private rented sector.

This year we supported 442 organisations to improve their housing offer to homeless people.

Chris Hancock, Head of Best Practice:

“A particular highlight of the year was that our work on Housing First (a scheme that helps people with complex needs) directly led to the government allocating £28million to support three Housing First pilots in England. We also produced Housing First feasibility studies in the Liverpool City Region and Torbay.

"An important part of our work this year has been expanding our work to support local authorities directly to implement the Homelessness Reduction Act in England.”

James, Progression Coach at Crisis Skylight Newcastle:

“At Crisis Skylight Newcastle, we’re working in partnership with the council and the Jobcentre as part of the Newcastle Homelessness Prevention Trailblazer.

“The project is focused on prevention and not letting people who are hidden homeless – for example, sofa-surfing and floating between places - deteriorate until they’re street homeless. We're finding that the most prominent referral tends to be people who are sofa-surfing. Hidden homelessness is having the light shined on it a bit more.

“If someone’s sofa-surfing, they might not realise that there’s help available. A lot of people who I've worked with have said ‘I'm not homeless, I'm sleeping on my auntie's sofa’, but we can say that’s classified as hidden homelessness because it’s not a secure place for them.

“As a result, we’re seeing people access services that they might not have been able to before. It’s a really good way for people to realise they’re eligible for support, and engage with our services, so that’s a very strong way of preventing street homelessness.

“We’ve got some really good results where we’re supported people into accommodation, especially for those people who are all over the place floating and sofa-surfing, staying one night with a friend, then a relative, then another friend. We can get them into supported accommodation, which gives people that stability to work on a longer-term solution.

“Another huge benefit of the project is that it has opened communication between the work coaches at the Jobcentre and our Skylight. If we know that a member is particularly low on mental health and struggling to attend appointments, we’re able to give that information and insight to a Jobcentre work coach straight away. When they know that someone’s struggling, they can take that into consideration when working with them.

“As part of the partnership we provide positive stories as well, for instance when a member is housed, or they’ve passed courses with us. It’s all about showing that there’s real value in referring people to our service, to help them out of homelessness.”

Crisis at Christmas is just the beginning of helping people out of homelessness.

It’s a huge volunteer effort, with 15 centres across Britain offering food, clothing, advice and support with health, housing, employment and benefits. For many, Crisis at Christmas offers a chance to relax, regain confidence and plan for the future in a supportive environment.

Among the 4,194 guests who came to Crisis at Christmas in 2017, we held 804 advice sessions, 683 health checks and provided 1,753 items of clothing.

But we don’t stop there – we introduce people to our year-round training, education and support with housing, employment and health. This long-term support helps people to rebuild their lives and leave homelessness behind for good.

Samantha's story

Samantha first came to Crisis at Christmas in 2016, where she was introduced to Crisis’ year-round services. Now she has a flat and is working full time.

“I'd recently lost my son, my mum, my sister – everyone - and I thought my life would never change.

“I went along to Crisis at Christmas and that’s how I got involved with Crisis. And it’s just been the best thing that’s ever happened to me.

“I felt so welcome straight away. There was a lovely warm atmosphere. The volunteers made sure I had my dinner, clothes, and someone to talk to. They are amazing.

“I saw a doctor about my mental health, had some new clothes, took part in entertainment and had the best Christmas dinner ever. I spoke to Jack, a Crisis progression coach and that’s how I got involved with Crisis.

“Now I’m in full time work. Everything’s going really well.

“Sarah, my employment coach, has been absolutely brilliant with me. I was so negative like ‘I’ll never get a job’. But she told me I could do it and she helped me get a job at a hotel.

“I’m living on my own after everything I’ve been through. I’ve got a beautiful one-bed flat but I have had problems with the neighbours and domestic violence and alcohol. But I’ve got Crisis helping me with my housing situation.

“There have been times I’ve not believed in myself. It’s been a long hard journey, trusting people. But with Crisis’ help and support, my life is just absolutely amazing.”

As an independent charity, Crisis relies heavily on donations so that we can provide support to people who are homeless. Our work would not be possible without the thousands of people, companies and trusts who support us.

Richard Lee, Director of Fundraising:

“We are so grateful to the efforts of Crisis’ partners and supporters that have helped us grow income significantly to make sure we can end homelessness. Fundraising over 2017/18 exceeded the net income target by £3.269 million.

“While much of the support that Crisis receives comes from incredibly generous individuals, we are also grateful to receive amazing support from corporate partners, trusts and foundations and philanthropists. We have also been inspired by the people who have chosen to run, swim, cycle or give their time in many ways to help us raise the money that has meant we can reach so many people.”

Texel Foundation, Crisis corporate partner:

“When I visited the Crisis Skylight Centre I was blown away by the place, by the breadth of opportunities and the facilities… Crisis is a very professional organisation with a lot of humility too.”

JLL, Crisis corporate partner:

“With JLL’s expertise in real estate, we are uniquely positioned to help Crisis to end homelessness. After a successful two-year partnership, we are excited to extend this for a further two years so we can continue to support Crisis in addressing one of the key societal issues of our time.

“We are committed to raising £1.2 million to help support people into housing; mobilising at least 30% of our people to volunteer; and delivering critical strategic work with Crisis’ Housing and Policy teams.

“It has been fantastic to see how our people across the country have got behind this partnership, and it has been great to see first-hand the difference that we are making to people’s lives. We look forward to the next two years and working together to end homelessness for good.”