If you have seen someone sleeping rough, and would like to help, here are some ways you can provide support.
On a single night in the UK, hundreds of thousands of families and individuals experience homelessness. This includes more than 320,000 households in England alone.
Rough sleeping is one of the most visible types of homelessness. It is extremely dangerous and in some cases, it can be deadly.
Providing help and support, in whatever way you can, can make a huge difference.
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We all deserve dignity and respect, and we all have our own needs. There is a no ‘one size fits all’ way to offer help to people who may be sleeping rough.
We encourage everyone to consider the human aspect of rough sleeping. From speaking with our members, we know that when a person experiences homelessness, some people simply stop seeing them as human.
If you know someone who is rough sleeping and would like to help, here are some ways you could provide support. Please make sure you check our safety information for advice before approaching a person.
A key thing you can do is to reach out and find a way to connect with a person. It’s important to remember that when someone is experiencing loneliness and isolation, something as seemingly small as a conversation can make a real difference.
If you feel safe and comfortable to do so, you can try and make eye contact from a distance and you could ask them if they are open to having a chat.
If appropriate to do so you could crouch down and introduce yourself, and ask if they are happy to share their name.
Everyone experiencing homelessness will have their own story and reasons why they have been forced into this position, with nowhere else to go. Try to be open-minded as you listen and avoid judgement. It can be difficult to access support if you have no fixed address, and some solutions that may seem simple for those of us with a home are much more challenging for those without.
And you never know, you might even walk away feeling a little better yourself!
Remember, not everyone is always in the mood for a chat, and that’s OK.
If you are in England or Wales, and have come across someone who is sleeping rough, we always recommending contacting Streetlink on their behalf, by visiting their website. Streetlink will help anyone sleeping outside or sleeping somewhere not designed for habitation, like a car. Please ask the person first if they would appreciate your help with this.
Give them as much identifying info as you can – name, location, appearance etc. and an outreach team will find them. The team will assess the person's needs and put them in touch with organisations that can help.
If you are in Scotland, visit Shelter’s website for more information, and if you are in Northern Ireland, you can find out more from the Simon Community, Housing Rights or the Housing Executive.
The person you are helping might not have access to the internet and so they may not have been able to find out about all the support available to them. If they want, you could help with this research simply by using your phone.
A useful resource to remember is our Get Help page. We have signposted websites where you can find your nearest shelter and food kitchens, as well as organisations where you can access housing advice and more specialist legal advice.
If you can, print the page so the person you are helping has access to this information without a device.
One of the easiest ways to help is by offering someone food and drink. Before you assume what someone might need, we’d suggest asking them what they would prefer. They might have already had a sandwich, so they might prefer a snack, and they might have allergies to take into account, which is why it helps to speak to them first.
A really easy way to offer food and drink is to buy a voucher for a local supermarket or a local shop of the person’s choice. This way, they can buy what they need, when they need it.
It’s always a good idea to ask someone what they need first, as everyone is different. Give whatever you feel comfortable giving, but don’t let stereotypes influence your judgement of an individual.
Here is a list of supplies that could help make a difference to someone who is experiencing homelessness:
Please only approach someone if you feel safe to do so.
If the person is in immediate danger, call 999.
It is not recommended to try and physically wake up someone who is deeply asleep, as you don’t know how long they’ve been asleep for or how they will react to the shock of being woken up.
It is important to note that if you think the person you are concerned about appears to be under 18, in danger or at risk of harm, call the appropriate emergency service, such as the police or ambulance service on 999 if it’s an emergency, or 101 for a non-emergency.
While rough sleeping is one of the most visible forms of homelessness, the majority of people and families affected will experience different types of homelessness that are less visible. For example, they may be sofa surfing, or trapped in temporary accommodation.
One of the most useful ways you could support someone in this position is to help them find services that would help them.
The first thing anyone facing homelessness should do is contact their local council. You can search for your local council's contact details in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland by clicking on the relevant nation.
Another helpful resource would be to share our Get Help page, which signposts useful organisations and resources for people in a variety of circumstances.
No one should be left without a home. Help us end homelessness for good and get involved at Crisis. There are so many ways you can help:
