Appeal: The True Cost of the Crisis

Many of us are starting to feel the pinch of the ongoing cost of living crisis.

Between soaring rent, high energy bills and increasing food prices, it’s a difficult time for many. For the individuals we support, it might cost them their home. 

Inflation has recently gone over 9% but the Institute for Fiscal Studies claims that the poorest households are facing an even higher rate. In the meantime, benefits rose by just 3.1% and wages have stagnated. More and more people are now having to face the stark choice between feeding themselves and their family or paying rent.

What if the cost of living crisis cost you your home?

How we help

Glass Door caseworkers operate in six drop-in centres in West and South-West London where they provide specialist support and advice for people who are experiencing or are at risk of homelessness.

Some centres have seen the number of people seeking help double in the past few months. A recent report highlighted that today, one in three adults are worried about becoming homeless at some point during the next five years.

Gemma, Senior Caseworker at Glass Door, has noticed a recent change in the demographic she supports:

‘Before the pandemic I would typically see single men who were sleeping on the street. Now, I see a lot more guests who currently have a home to go back to, but are at urgent risk of losing their home or living in unsuitable and often unsafe housing.’

Who we help

We support people experiencing or facing homelessness, because no one should have to sleep on the streets of London.

We expect that we will continue to see increasing numbers of people accessing our services who are at risk of homelessness, alongside those already experiencing it. During 2021-2022, the oldest person we supported was 88 years old. No one should have to sleep on the streets of London.

Senior Caseworker Patricia predominantly supports single mothers:

Many of the mothers I meet are forced to choose between feeding their children or paying their rent.

Several factors contribute to pushing people into destitution or preventing them from moving out of homelessness. Today, the Local Housing Allowance rates are frozen at 2020 levels, whilst rents across the UK continue to soar.  In London, rents for single renters have increased by 52% since March 2020 which make the rental market extremely competitive. Moreover, rising energy bills, the benefit cap and increasing council tax are all part of the web of issues that lead to evictions and create new barriers to those trying to move out of their homelessness. 

This is combined with long, complex and bureaucratic processes to access help. Those who were managing previously are being tipped closer and closer to the precipice of losing their home.

It’s a fragile system to be in and even with our expertise it can be confusing and complicated. Becoming homeless is stressful, and it could happen to anyone.

- Senior Caseworker Gemma

This summer, we are urgently asking for your help so that our casework team can continue to provide essential support and advice to those suffering the most from the cost of living crisis. Our open-access policy means that we will do whatever we can to help anyone who needs our support to get off - and stay off - the streets of London.

Please donate or create a fundraiser today.