PM hosts Crisis staff, founders and members as they renew efforts to end homelessness for good

Today, Prime Minister Theresa May hosted Crisis, the national charity for homeless people, during a special reception at Number 10.

Crisis members, who have experienced some of the worst forms of homelessness, travelled from many parts of Great Britain to speak to the PM who earlier this year pledged to halve rough sleeping within the next parliament.

The government also pledged to eliminate rough sleeping altogether by 2027, through a homelessness reduction taskforce, and work with Crisis as it builds a plan to end homelessness.

As the charity enters its 50^th year Crisis will be developing a national plan to end the most acute forms of homelessness once and for all. Crisis, which provides support and services for 10,000 people every year through its Skylight centres in England, Scotland and Wales, aims to bring together everything needed to make this happen, including consultations in all three nations and a large-scale programme of research.

Prime Minister Theresa May said: 

“Everyone in our country should have a roof over their head and no one should ever have to sleep rough, but too many people face that harsh reality daily.

“The compassion and support of Crisis staff and volunteers over the past five decades has helped change the lives of thousands of people and it is a privilege to honour their tireless work in Downing Street and to hear the powerful stories of Crisis members who have been through the devastation of homelessness.

“We know tackling this longstanding injustice requires a collective approach. Government is stepping up by investing £550 million to tackle homelessness, and also pledging to halve rough sleeping in the next five years, and eliminate it altogether within the decade.”

Crisis Chief Executive Jon Sparkes said:

“We welcome the Prime Minister’s commitment to tackling homelessness, and for hosting us here today to mark our 50^th anniversary. This reception means so much to us as an organisation, but also to our members, who have experienced the horrors of being homeless.

"Unfortunately, 50 years on from when we were founded, homelessness is very much still with us. Our 50th anniversary is therefore not a celebration. It is a time for us to think afresh about the solutions to the problem. That is why we are spending the year developing an evidence-based plan for how to end homelessness.

"For Crisis there is simply no place for cynicism or doubt. It is our firm belief that together, we will end homelessness.” 

Crisis member Courtney Weekes said:

“To a man who has been alone and isolated for five years, the support I have received through Crisis coupled with experiences such as this are life changing.

“I believe homelessness can be ended with the right support in place and it’s amazing that homelessness has been put on the map by Crisis at one of the leading houses in the country.”