‘Herephones’ launched to tell the stories of people affected by homelessness
– Public invited to listen to real life stories of people experiencing homelessness at the point they were helped by charity St Mungo’s – – Well-known voices support and lend their voice to the campaign as they narrate the individual stories – – Campaign launches as new figures show over 13,000 sleep rough in London – an increase of 10% versus last year and 63% rise versus a decade ago – Bright orange headphones have been installed across London telling the inspiring stories of people who have faced homelessness. The ‘Herephones’ are located at the exact spots St Mungo’s frontline workers helped people sleeping rough find safety. Stories of David, Andy, Arwa and Tracey have been narrated by well-known voices to raise awareness of the charity’s work in the homelessness crisis. Nigel Boyle best known for his roles as ‘H’ in Line of Duty, Peaky Blinders, and Humans, as well as voicing popular video games Total War: War Hammer III and Squadron 42 – Star Citizen narrates the stories alongside Lainy Boyle who plays recurring character, Dylan, in The Dumping Ground (BBC). Other TV credits include Maternal (ITV) Casualty, Inventing The Ripper (Sky) and The Good Ship Murder (C5). Members of the public can spot the ‘Herephones’ at five locations around the capital including Whitechapel Highstreet, Westminster Bridge Road and Talgarth Road in Hammersmith & Fulham. They are encouraged to stop and listen to the real life stories. New figures from the Combined Homelessness and Information Network (CHAIN) show that the number of people sleeping rough in London from April 2024 to March 2025 was 13,231, a 10 per cent rise on the same period a year before and a 63 per cent rise versus a decade ago, with the stark figures reflecting the broader scale of the homelessness crisis in the UK. St Mungo’s frontline workers are seeing more people facing homelessness than ever before, a combination of high health needs and lack of affordable housing is pushing many people onto the streets. The emotional stories describe how the individuals became homeless, and the hurdles they faced while living on the streets. The narrations go onto exploring how lives were rebuilt, and hope was rediscovered with the support of St Mungo’s. They tell the stories of feeling safer at night after a move to emergency shelter, followed by longer-term stability with a place people can finally call their own. The launch of the brightly coloured ‘Herephones’, which reflect St Mungo’s brand colours, coincides with St Mungo’s ‘We’re Here’ campaign. Currently being shown on billboards, buses and bus stops across the city, it spotlights the issue of homelessness and how St Mungo’s is the charity on the frontlines of the homelessness emergency. For many, that first interaction with a St Mungo’s frontline worker can open the door to emergency accommodation and a route out of homelessness. David, aged 62 years, whose real life story features in the campaign, said: “I was homeless on and off for 10 years, including through the lockdown which was incredibly lonely. Following a particularly terrifying attack while sleeping rough one night, I’d begun to lose all hope. But this all changed when I discovered St Mungo’s. With the charity’s support, I was provided counselling and moral support as well as food vouchers. They’ve also helped negotiate on my behalf around debt repayment, which gives me more time to concentrate on my film studies – a life-long passion of mine. I hope that by sharing my story it’ll give hope to those who find themselves sleeping rough – I’m proof you can rebuild your life.” Emma Haddad, CEO at St Mungo’s comments: “We encourage members of the public to take a minute to pause and listen to the inspiring stories shared through our Herephones. They are a tribute to everyone who has been affected by homelessness, each with a story to tell. “We are in the middle of a homelessness emergency. More and more people are being met by our frontline workers day and night: a warm smile, a friendly chat, and an offer of emergency accommodation can be a lifeline for people facing homelessness. St Mungo’s has been there for them for the past 55 years and will continue to be there – until we have ended homelessness for good.” People can listen to the emotive stories on St Mungo’s ‘Herephones’ at the following locations: 30th June – 1st July: Talgarth Rd (Hammersmith & Fulham) 2nd July – 3rd July: Westminster Bridge Rd (Westminster) 2nd July – 3rd July: Newington Causeway (Southwark) 7th – 8th July: Liverpool Rd (Islington) 7th – 8th July: Whitechapel Highstreet (Tower Hamlets)
Rough sleeping in London rises by 10% in 2024, St Mungo’s responds
New data released today (30 June 2025) by the Combined Homelessness and Information Network (CHAIN) which covers April 2024 to March 2025 has shown an increase in rough sleeping. In total, 13,231 people were recorded as rough sleeping in London during the last year. This is an increase of 10% on 2023/2024 – and 63% higher than the total of 8,096 people seen rough sleeping 10 years ago, in 2015/16. The data also shows that during this period: 3,028 people were seen rough sleeping for 2 years, a 27% increase on the same figure this time last year. 8,396 people were seen rough sleeping for the first time this year, a 5% increase compared to 2023/24 1,807 people seen rough sleeping had returned to the streets after a year away, an increase of 11% from 2023/2024 The proportions of people seen rough sleeping with a mental health need increased slightly in 2024/25, with 50% recorded as having a mental health support need, compared to 48% in 2023/24 Chief Executive of St Mungo’s, Emma Haddad, said: “Rough sleeping in our capital is still rising, with 10% more people forced to live on the streets of London in 2024. This isn’t a one-off, this is the latest in a persistent and worrying trend. These figures shouldn’t belong in 21st century Britain. Rough sleeping is devastating thousands of lives. At St Mungo’s, we see the immense impact that a single night on the streets can have on someone. With healthcare and housing-related support services struggling to meet demand, alongside a lack of affordable housing, many people are now enduring repeated cycles of rough sleeping. The figures also show a 27% rise in people sleeping rough for 2 years. We know that the longer someone spends sleeping on the streets, the more complex it is for them to end their homelessness and recover from it. Without the right support, mental and physical ill-health, substance use issues and care needs all become more pronounced. At St Mungo’s we’re doing everything we can to support people in this emergency. But a whole system change is needed if we’re to address the root causes driving these ever-rising numbers of people finding themselves at crisis point. The Government’s latest funding commitment for homelessness and social housing is a welcome step. However, we need a clear and coherent strategy to bring real focus to preventing homelessness, and urge the Government to publish its homelessness strategy as soon as possible, before we see another 10% increase next year.”
St Mungo’s care home celebrates £200,000 refurbishment
Local councillors and partners joined St Mungo’s this week to celebrate the completion of a major refurbishment of its Islington care home by volunteers from the delivery consultants and construction experts, Mace. The service in Islington is one of two CQC-registered care homes run by St Mungo’s. It offers a unique level of support for older men with complex needs who have experienced homelessness. Residents are provided with long-term accommodation and support for their mental and physical health conditions including dementia, as well as substance use support. The Mayor of Islington, Councillor Jason Jackson, attended the re-opening ceremony alongside Deputy Mayor of Camden, Councillor Tricia Leman, representatives from Mace, St Mungo’s staff and residents of the 29-bed care home. The project included a full re-design and re-furnishing of the care home’s communal spaces, with 46 Mace volunteers completing the work across six weeks while the service continued to support residents. Emma Haddad, Chief Executive of St Mungo’s, said: “On behalf of my colleagues and the residents here in Islington, I want to say a huge thank you to Mace and The Mace Foundation for making this incredible refurbishment of our care home possible. This is not just a beautiful building but a home for our residents. Mace’s generous refurbishment has helped make it even more comfortable and welcoming for them. St Mungo’s supports people affected by homelessness at every stage of their journey, from the crisis point of rough sleeping right through to finding long-term accommodation. Our care home is just one example of the many compassionate ways we help people leave the cycle of homelessness behind for good. As this refurbishment shows, we can achieve amazing things when we work together. I look forward to collaborating with our partners in the future to continue improving the lives of people affected by homelessness.” His Worship The Mayor of Islington, Councillor Jason Jackson said: “It’s been an honour to visit St Mungo’s care home and see first-hand the incredible work they do to support some of Islington’s most vulnerable residents. Homelessness is an urgent issue in our community, and services like this provide a place of safety, dignity and healing. It’s fantastic to see the compassion, commitment and collaboration of St Mungo’s, Mace and everyone involved in this refurbishment. Together, we are showing what it means to build a borough – and a society – that truly cares for everyone.” Mark Holmes CBE, Chief Executive of The Mace Foundation, said: “It’s inspiring to see how the dedication of Mace employees and our supply chain partners has positively impacted St Mungo’s care home. The redesigned layout of several communal rooms in this listed building was thoughtfully planned and delivered in line with PIE (Psychologically Informed Environment) principles. These changes have helped create a more homely and welcoming atmosphere for long-term residents, including those living with mental health challenges or dementia. Mace and the Mace Foundation are committed to making a meaningful difference in the communities we serve. We understand the value of pro bono work for charities and, with the generous support of our supply chain, have delivered over £300,000 worth of projects for St Mungo’s.” In 2023, Mace Foundation and two of Mace’s architects visited the care home to begin designing a new psychologically-informed, dementia-friendly space. Their redesign included all communal areas including the library, arts and crafts room, dining and living spaces, entrance, and staff office. Residents contributed to the design, choosing wall colours and furniture. The works began at the end of 2024 and were completed in January 2025, with 46 Mace employees providing 523 hours of voluntary work. Mace contractors also provided £30,000 worth of materials. The refurbishment comes as homelessness remains consistently high in the UK. Last autumn, 83,800 households faced homelessness across England.
St Mungo’s reaction to the Spending Review
Earlier in the year, St Mungo’s made submissions to the Government around what should be included in today’s Comprehensive Spending Review, which maps out budget allocations for governmental departments. At a time of rising homelessness rates and many people being closer to homelessness than they might think, a core submission from St Mungo’s was the need for a long-term funding settlement – not only to allow its services to continue to be there for people without a home and rebuild their lives, but also provide that support before a crisis point is reached. The organisation also made the case for more social housing. Emma Haddad, CEO for St Mungo’s, responds to the announcement: “The allocation of £39 billion for social housing is a significant step in addressing one of the root causes of homelessness. Too many people have been placed in cramped and unsafe temporary accommodation because they have been locked out from an increasingly unaffordable private rented sector. We know that social housing is safe, long-term and provides significantly more stability than the private rented sector, so this investment will be welcome news to many of our clients. “We also welcome the confirmation of £1bn funding for homelessness services – this is much needed and the certainty of multi-year funding is key to helping us move to a more secure and strategic use of funds. We need the Government to ensure these funds are allocated quickly to ensure continuity of vital services. And the £100 million for early intervention is both welcome and vital to help start to shift the system from managing a crisis to preventing the tragedy of homelessness. “Today’s funding announcements should help us start to turn the tide on the massive increases in homelessness we’ve seen in recent years. We now need the much-awaited homelessness strategy to crystallise the Government’s ambition and ensure everyone working to end homelessness is pulling in the same direction. We look forward to working with Government to build on today’s helpful steps so we can end homelessness for good.”
St Mungo’s responds to the decriminalisation of rough sleeping
St Mungo’s welcomes the Government’s decision to repeal the outdated Vagrancy Act 1824 by Spring next year, to ensure rough sleeping is no longer a criminal offence. Emma Haddad, Chief Executive of St Mungo’s, said: “The repeal of the Vagrancy Act, which criminalises rough sleeping, cannot come soon enough. Right now, we are supporting thousands of people who are rough sleeping; everyone facing this issue has their own heart breaking story to tell of how they ended up on the streets – from complex mental and physical health issues to an increasingly unaffordable housing market. The answer is not to criminalise people for living on the streets but instead to focus on tackling the health, housing and wider societal issues that are causing homelessness in the first place.” The Vagrancy Act was introduced in 1824 – towards the end of the Georgian era – to deal with rising homelessness which increased after the Napoleonic Wars and Industrial Revolution. While use of the Act against rough sleeping has significantly declined over the years, it remains enforceable in law. Government amendments to the Home Office’s Crime and Policing Bill will instead focus on crimes associated with begging and trespassing and not rough sleeping, with no replacement of previous legislation that criminalised people for simply sleeping rough. New targeted measures will ensure police have the powers they need to keep communities safe – filling the gap left over by removing previous powers. This will include a new offence of facilitating begging for gain and an offence of trespassing with the intention of committing a crime, both of which were previously included under the 1824 Act. The Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said: “We are drawing a line under nearly two centuries of injustice towards some of the most vulnerable in society, who deserve dignity and support. No one should ever be criminalised simply for sleeping rough and by scrapping this cruel and outdated law, we are making sure that can never happen again.” The Minister for Homelessness Rushanara Ali said: “Today marks a historic shift in how we’re responding to the rough sleeping crisis, by repealing an archaic Act that is neither just nor fit for purpose. Scrapping the Vagrancy Act for good is another step forward in our mission to tackle homelessness in all its forms, by focusing our efforts on its root causes.”
Cutting PIP and UC will increase homelessness, charities warn Liz Kendall
St Mungo’s has issued an open letter on behalf of the homelessness sector urging Government to rethink welfare reforms. Planned welfare cuts designed to get people back into work will actually increase homelessness, according to an open letter issued to Government today from the homelessness sector. St Mungo’s is the lead signatory of the letter, along with 13 other homelessness organisations including YMCA and Homeless Link. They warn that cutting vital benefits will push more people into poverty and destitution, and make it harder for those already affected by homelessness to rebuild their lives. Measures set out in the Government’s ‘Pathways to Work’ Green Paper will be voted on in Parliament next week and will include limiting access to and reducing health-related benefits such as PIP and Universal Credit. In the open letter, the signatories state that these benefits are vital to people dealing with the extra costs of health conditions, with many of the people they support relying on them to help fund counselling, cover travel expenses to medical appointments, and even pay for essentials such as food, rent and utilities. The signatories claim without this extra financial support people affected by homelessness will struggle to cover their expenses, which risks their recovery and a potential slide back into homelessness. According to government data some 62,040 households with physical ill health and disability needs faced homelessness in 2023/24, compared with 35,860 in 2018/19. Between October to December 2024, just over a fifth (21%) of households facing homelessness had some sort of physical ill health or disability. Emma Haddad, Chief Executive of St Mungo’s, said: “For the thousands of people affected by homelessness, these planned welfare reforms run counter to the Government’s ambition to give people the support they need to get back to work. Instead, we conclude that the proposed changes will increase the number of people at risk of becoming homeless for the first time, increase the number of people we have helped resolve their homelessness fall back into it, and increase the length of time it takes to resolve people’s homelessness in the future. Many people rely on these benefits to manage complex health conditions as part of their recovery from homelessness and pay for essential utilities. With already eyewatering rents, these benefits help people cover their additional costs. Without them, we fear people will be increasingly unable to afford to secure somewhere safe to live. Homelessness has already pushed these people to the edge. We should be supporting them to rebuild their lives, not creating more challenges for them to overcome. That’s why, with other organisations in the sector, we are asking the Government to rethink these reforms, so that we can prevent more people becoming homeless and those affected by homelessness can quickly and permanently recover from it. That is how the Government can really achieve its ambition of helping more people into work.” For a full copy of the letter, see here. The full list of signatories includes: Emma Haddad, Chief Executive, St Mungo’s Jo Carter, Chief Executive, Glassdoor Homeless Charity Denise Hatton, Chief Executive, YMCA England & Wales Phil Kerry, Chief Executive, New Horizon Youth Centre Ben Twomey, Chief Executive, Generation Rent Jean Templeton, Chief Executive, St Basils Michael Chandler, Chief Executive, Groundswell Rick Henderson, Chief Executive, Homeless Link Denis Tully, Chief Executive, Emmanuel House Matthew Downie, Chief Executive, Crisis Stephen Bell OBE, Chief Executive, Changing Lives Bill Tidham, Chief Executive, Thames Reach Mairi MacRae, Director of Campaigns, Policy and Comms, Shelter Alex Bax, Chief Executive Officer, Pathway
St Mungo’s supports Mayor of London’s commitment to end rough sleeping through prevention by 2030
Today, the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, announced a new plan to end rough sleeping in the capital by 2030, with a vital focus on prevention and increasing the availability of rapid, sustainable routes away from the streets. In his bold new approach, the Mayor has promised to work with partners including St Mungo’s to end the current requirement for Londoners to be seen bedded down on the streets before they can access support by 2028. He has also secured £17million from Government to refurbish up to 500 new empty homes as part of his Homes Off The Streets programme, which will help hundreds of people at imminent risk of rough sleeping. Working with St Mungo’s, the Mayor also committed to opening a new Ending Homelessness Hub to prevent more Londoners from sleeping rough. His announcement comes as rough sleeping rates continue to rise in the capital. Between January to March 2025, a total of 4,427 people were recorded as rough sleeping in London – an increase of 8% on the same period last year. Emma Haddad, Chief Executive of St Mungo’s, said: “With rough sleeping still at record highs, and more Londoners teetering on the brink of homelessness, St Mungo’s welcomes the Mayor of London’s commitment to ending rough sleeping through prevention by 2030. Rough sleeping is a crisis and should not be a prerequisite for help. For too long, people facing homelessness have had to endure the trauma of sleeping on the streets before they can access life-saving support. Many of our clients face long-term mental and physical health needs, which can increase the risk of homelessness and make it that much harder for people to get the support they need. We’re also seeing more people locked out of an increasingly unaffordable private rental sector, exacerbated by poor supply of housing and intense demand for it. We welcome the Mayor’s ambition to end the verification-based model for accessing help and his investment in Ending Homelessness Hubs, which will ensure St Mungo’s can be there for people before they reach these crisis points. We are proud to be playing such a central role in their delivery, which will help to reduce pressure on the frontline response. We congratulate the Mayor and his team for working collaboratively to bring about this Action Plan that we hope will deliver tangible change to ending rough sleeping in London. We know this can only be achieved nationally and long term with a whole system approach and look to the Government to show the same commitment and efficiency when delivering and implementing their homelessness strategy.“ The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “During my election campaign, I promised to develop a plan to end rough sleeping for good by 2030. I’m proud to be delivering on that promise. We know the best way to end rough sleeping is to stop it before it starts. That’s why we’re putting prevention at the heart of our response, extending our network of Ending Homelessness Hubs, that provide 24/7 support to those most at risk of sleeping rough. It’s why we’re launching a preventing homelessness phoneline. And it’s why we’re funding more support workers in our communities – in places like day centres and food banks. We’re also providing people with long-term routes off the streets, through our Homes off the Streets programme. For the first time, we’re unlocking 500 empty homes, in need of refurbishment, that will be brought back into good condition and ringfenced for those that need them most. This plan is being backed up by £17 million in additional funding, which is on top of the £10 million we announced in January this year, which was the single biggest Mayoral investment into tackling rough sleeping ever. The last time we came close to ending rough sleeping, we had a Mayor and a Government on the same page, with the same ambition. Now, we have the opportunity to do the same again.”
St Mungo’s responds to latest data showing 38% jump in people living on London’s streets
New data released today (30 April 2025) by the Combined Homelessness and Information Network (CHAIN) which covers January to March 2025 has shown an increase in rough sleeping. In total, 4427 people were recorded as rough sleeping in London between January to March 2025. This is an increase of 8% on the same period last year. The data also shows that during this period: 2085 people were rough sleeping for the first time, a 2% increase on the same figure this time last year. 1714 people were intermittently rough sleeping, 5% higher than the same period last year 706 people deemed to be living on the streets, 38% higher than the same figure this time last year. 1673 had a mental health support need, 50% of the total number of people rough sleeping Chief Executive of St Mungo’s, Emma Haddad, said: “We should all be very concerned that 706 people were deemed to be living on London’s streets in winter 2025 – a jump of 38% compared to the same period last year. This is truly shocking and symptomatic not only of the housing crisis but also a rising public health emergency. People affected by a job loss or relationship breakdown are increasingly being driven onto the streets, without sanitation, security and support. Many stretched services are seeing a revolving door of people with health needs either caused or exacerbated by homelessness: anxiety, depression, substance use, and frailty are just some of the conditions we’re seeing with greater prevalence and severity compared to the general population. The longer these needs go unaddressed, the harder it becomes for people to move on from homelessness. Our frontline teams are working round the clock to get people into emergency housing and then supporting them to survive and thrive in their own accommodation. Affordable housing is just one part of a much broader solution; we also need to see a homelessness and healthcare system working in tandem, so that more people are empowered to leave homelessness behind them and fewer people fall back into it. We anticipate the launch of an ambitious homelessness strategy from the government and hope that will help us address these dual emergencies and end homelessness for good.”
St Mungo’s responds to the latest Rough Sleeping Snapshot
New statistics released from the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government show that 4,667 people slept on the streets in England on a snapshot night in autumn 2024, an increase of 769 people (20%) from the autumn 2023 total of 3,898. The data also shows that: Nearly half (45%) of all people sleeping rough on a single night in autumn are in London and the South East, which is similar to previous years. The largest regional increase was in London, rising from 1,132 in 2023 to 1,318 in 2024 – an increase of 186 people or 16%. The only region with a decrease was the North West of England – a decrease of 2 people. In addition, new quarterly data on Statutory Homelessness in England was released today (27 February 2025) by MHCLG which covers the period July to September 2024. In total, 44,920 households were assessed homeless, up 1.5% from the same quarter last year, and 36,450 households were assessed as at risk of homelessness, which is down 1.3% from the same quarter last year. Emma Haddad, Chief Executive of St Mungo’s, said: “With 4,667 people rough sleeping on a single night in England last autumn – a 20% increase since 2023 – this latest rise in figures shows homelessness is closer to home than we think. St Mungo’s frontline teams see the real impact of this ongoing crisis everyday with more and more people being pushed onto the streets and needing our help. We can see statutory services struggling and buckling under the pressures these numbers create. We know the longer it takes to provide people with the support they need, the more complex their support needs become; early intervention is vital to break this heartbreaking cycle. Emergency funding continues to be essential to tackle this homelessness crisis, but longer-term funding for preventive programmes alongside improved housing affordability and supply are also needed to fix the root causes and move away from crisis response. Putting prevention at the forefront of the Government’s homelessness strategy will be key, and we will continue working with government and all partners to end homelessness for good.”
Emergency homelessness fund boosted to £60 million
Following the January 2025 announcement of a £30million package for people experiencing homelessness across the country this winter, the Government have announced that this will be doubled to £60 million. The additional funding will be given to councils in 295 targeted areas to provide life-changing support for people on the brink of homelessness. It will support councils with early intervention to keep families in their homes, while also providing accommodation for people sleeping rough. In the last year, 146,360 households reached out for council support, many of whom were facing eviction through no fault of their own. Some had experienced sudden health issues, or a loss of employment. Others had faced unexpected bills or a relationship breakdown. The Winter Pressures Funding for homelessness and rough sleeping now sits at £60 million for the year. The addition of £30 million will help councils to negotiate quickly and effectively with landlords. It will help to cover emergency rent shortfalls, and ensure that people are kept in safe, secure housing. This comes as rough sleeping in the capital increased yet again last autumn, with 4612 people recorded as rough sleeping in London between October to December 2024. This is an increase of 5% on the same period last year. St Mungo’s is on the frontline of this homelessness emergency. The charity operates in parts of the UK facing the highest levels of homelessness, including London. Sean Palmer, Executive Director at St Mungo’s, said: “The Government’s announcement of an extra £30 million in funding is welcome news at a time when the numbers of people experiencing homelessness, and at risk of it, is continuing to rise. This funding will help ensure the growing number of people who find themselves on the streets can be offered the vital support they need and others can be supported to prevent them from losing their homes in the first place. Given the current crisis, this funding is both much needed and a step in the right direction towards prevention. The upcoming homelessness strategy will be a key moment for the Government to set out how we can work together to end rough sleeping, and all forms of homelessness, for good. St Mungo’s looks forward to working with them on it.”
