Homelessness can happen to anyone, even you. The person on the street could be your neighbour or friend—maybe they were just fired from their job, or they lost their home in an unexpected fire, and now they're at the shelter until they find another place to stay.

If you have compassion for yourself and other people in your life who struggle financially, it'll be easier to extend understanding toward homeless people as well. It's easy to fear people you don't know, but the reality is that homelessness can happen to anyone. Homelessness isn't a choice; it's a circumstance.

Remember that every homeless person has a story, and you don't know what it is. It's easy to fear people you don't know, but the reality is that homelessness can happen to anyone.

Don't assume that someone is there because they're lazy or chose not to work hard in life—they might have had an unexpected setback, lost their job, or have been struggling to make ends meet for years.

This blog will provide insight on how to interact with homeless people, what they need and if you would like to find out more about the services you can refer them to.

What causes homelessness in the UK?

There is often not one single reason for someone to become homeless. It is often due to a chain of other life events. Some people are more vulnerable to becoming homeless due to factors such as; poor physical health, mental health problems, alcohol and drug issues, grief, the experience of care, and the experience of the criminal justice system.

Structural factors are also part of the problem, including poverty, inequality, housing supply and affordability, unemployment, welfare and income policies. Moreover, structural and individual factors are often interrelated; unique issues can arise from structural disadvantages such as poverty or lack of education. While personal factors, such as family and social relationships, can also be put under pressure by structural forces such as poverty.

How do I speak to a homeless person?

If you're wondering what to do if you see someone who appears homeless, the first step is simple: stop and talk to them. Unfortunately, when most people see someone homeless, many are afraid to say hello.

However, it's important to remember that these people are real people with feelings and family members who love them just as much as we all do. Ask them for their name and use it when talking to them instead of referring to them as "you" or "the homeless person."

This shows respect for their individuality as human beings rather than lumping them into some category or stereotype that makes us feel better about ourselves or the situation.

In reality, so many factors contribute to homelessness—the cost of living, job availability and pay rates, and lack of affordable housing—that no one person (including you) can fix the problem alone.

If you want to help someone get back on their feet permanently, you must understand what causes them to end up without shelter in the first place.

It's OK to be afraid or nervous around someone new to you, but don't let that stop you from treating them with respect.

When it comes to homeless people, the general public has a lot of misconceptions. They may seem dangerous or scary because they live on the streets and have had little interaction with other people. But there are many reasons why they might be out there—some people aren't able to get housing because of mental illness or addiction issues.

Others have been forced into homelessness by economic circumstances like job loss and lack of affordable housing options. And still, others choose this lifestyle because they feel freer away from society's norms and expectations (and perhaps their controlling families).

They're not all criminals, thieves, or lazy people looking for handouts—they're often just regular people who want what everyone else wants: food in their bellies and some dignity left in the world.

Listen to their story

Listening is the most important thing you can do to help a homeless person. Don't judge them, don't assume anything about their situation, and don't be afraid to ask questions. If you don't know what to say or do, listen and ask what they need from you.

Give words of encouragement

Listen. Be a good listener and give them space to vent about their situation, but don't try to fix things for them.

Do not judge or assume that you know what they are going through. This can be frustrating for someone homeless and may feel like no one understands their struggles and situation.

Don't tell them what to do; instead of giving advice, offer encouragement and support, such as: "I'm so sorry this happened to you," or "It sounds like the hardest part is over now."

Offer them a hot drink and something to eat

The most critical thing homeless people need is food. It's also the easiest to get and doesn't require any particular skill or training. Hot drinks are beneficial during cold weather spells, which are frequent in the UK.

Water is vital for everyone, but it's imperative for the homeless. It can be difficult to stay healthy and maintain good hygiene without clean water. You'll want to ensure they have access to a reliable supply of fresh water; this helps them stay clean, so they don't get infections or diseases.

Provide them with a blanket

A blanket is one of the most important items you can donate to a homeless person. They can be used for warmth and as a place to sleep, as well as a blanket that will protect items that the homeless person has with them.

Donate blankets to your local charity store or department store. These places often have blankets that are in good condition and can be given away for free.

Ask your friends and family members if they have any extra blankets that they're willing to donate. It doesn't matter how old or ugly the blanket is, what matters most is that it will keep someone warm on cold nights.

Find out what services are available

If you are concerned about the well-being of a homeless person and would like to help them, learn about the resources in your area that might be able to assist them. While this can seem daunting, it's important to know exactly what options are available before approaching a homeless person with offers of assistance (or information).

It would help if you also remembered that not every service provider is effective at helping people who have been on the streets for extended periods. The best way to find out which ones do is by asking other community members who have been through similar experiences or online research.

Some examples of services that could be helpful include: food banks; shelters; job training programs; substance abuse programs etcetera

Don't assume that everyone you meet on the streets is homeless.

A person on the streets may be homeless, but they don't necessarily have to be. They could be a traveller or a transient who is passing through your city and has decided to stay for a few weeks. They might have recently been released from prison and are looking for work and housing before figuring out where their next home will be.

The person you think is homeless could also be someone who doesn't know how to approach strangers with their problems. So if they seem kind of sad while asking for money in front of the grocery store, don't assume that they're just some drug addict or alcoholic trying to get their fix by scrounging up spare change at every local business in town!

If you want to help them, ask how you can assist them instead of assuming it's nothing more than some addiction problem (which isn't always true).

Homeless people need more than money - make their day by listening, chatting and showing kindness.

When you think about helping a homeless person, you first think of giving them money. This is undoubtedly a good thing to do, but it's not the only thing you can do to help.

Donate money to charities helping homeless people

Donating to a charity is an obvious step for those who can afford to. Money tends to be more beneficial than things, don't buy brand-new stuff to give to a charity. It would be a kind thing to do, but the money you spend is more useful to charity. The charity is better placed to spend the money on what they need.

If you would like to donate, there are many excellent homeless charities. At Greater Change, we focus on supporting an individual's financial needs, eg. by providing rent deposits, skills courses, identification documents etc.

Some charities also use donations to lobby for better policies and research. Given we work with lots of partners, and they're all great, we don't want to recommend one over another! However, you could Google 'homelessness charity' followed by what's important to you to find somewhere that suits your preferences.

For example, 'homeless charity, research' or 'homeless charity, lobbying'. Remember that with this method, you may miss smaller organisations. To find those you will probably need to ask around in your community. You could also use the charity commission to search 'homeless charity' and apply a location filter. 

Conclusion

The first step is to start a conversation with a homeless person and understand their situation as much as possible before making assumptions about how you can help them. Then you can provide essential but necessary items such as food, drinks and blankets before assisting them in deciding which services would work best for them.

Of course, if you meet someone sleeping rough who's visibly ill or injured, call an ambulance immediately and ask your local council for more information on what support is available in your area.

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