Our history

In 1966, 12 million people watch drama Cathy Come Home on the BBC – the story of a young woman having her children ripped away from her after unemployment leads to homelessness. The public’s reaction is staggering - the file makes headlines, MPs attend private viewings and a groundswell of public support leads to the creation of homelessness charity Crisis just months later.

In 1967 Crisis at Christmas is founded by Bill Shearman. The aspiring politician joins forces with a network of homelessness activists in east London, backed by Conservative Shadow Chancellor Iain Macleod MP, ensuring cross-party support. A candle-lit vigil the Sunday before Christmas is attended by 3,000 people in Hyde Park, raising £7,000 for homelessness organisations working in the East End.

A reverse pilgrimage from Canterbury to London known as the Bishop’s March, led by Bishop Ramsay, helps put Crisis on the map.

Crisis at Christmas is registered as a charity with trustees including Ronnie Corbett and Baroness Macleod. Open Christmas grows while volunteers lobby Government for greater protection for homeless people, building a movement.

Crisis is reaching a turning point. The charity’s Christmas operation has grown to look after more than 400 homeless people each year. Crisis’ first radio appeal raises more than £55,000.

Crisis becomes the official name of the organisation. While the Christmas appeal continues to grow, a proactive grants programme begins funding a series of year-round schemes such as a clothing run, WinterWatch (a network of night shelters), FareShare (a food redistribution scheme) and SmartMove (an early scheme to help homeless people into private rented homes).

Crisis launches the 'Skylight' model and its first education and training centre opens in London, providing activities and support for homeless people who often can't stay in homeless hostels during the daytime. Arts classes, a Learning Zone and training café fill gaps in education and work experience. The centre is recognised at the 2004 Charity Awards as a true innovator in tackling homelessness.

Crisis opens services in Oxford and Merseyside.
Crisis receives a Department for Communities and Local Government grant to fund private rental sector schemes and its work across the UK establishes the organisation as an expert in this area. Since then, schemes supported by Crisis have helped more than 8,000 people find a keep a decent privately rented home.
With rough sleeping once again rising steadily, research and campaigning become increasingly important to the charity’s identity. The annual state-of-the-nation Homelessness Monitor report commences, helping to both deepen and widen understanding of homelessness and its causes in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
 

Significant highlights include the Ed Sheeran-backed No Going Home campaign protecting housing benefit for under 35s.
While Christmas remains central to Crisis’ work, with centres across London, Newcastle and Edinburgh seeing the project become the largest volunteer-led event in Europe, the charity is now firmly established as a national, year-round organisation with renewed commitment to ending homelessness for good. 

More than 45,000 people support the No One Turned Away campaign, calling for a change to the longstanding injustice that sees many single homeless people turned away to sleep on the streets when they ask local authorities for help. 
Jon Sparkes is appointed Chief Executive

Conservative MP Bob Blackman's Homelessness Reduction Bill, supported by Crisis' No One Turned Away campaign, becomes law in England.

The plan to end homelessness uses extensive new research and sets out the exact government policies needed to end it for good.