Homelessness
Londoners have nowhere to rest in public thanks to ‘hostile greenery’ sweeping city
May 8, 2026Outside The Heals Building in central London, around 25 people make their beds for the night. The row of tents on Tottenham Court Road is set up around 8 pm beneath the stone arches at the front of the historical 135,000 sq ft building. There is a strict social contract. Pack up by 8 am, […]
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London at breaking point as homeless crisis spirals out of control
March 18, 2026A central London church where Martin Luther King Jr preached has said they are overwhelmed by the number of homeless people needing help. Bloomsbury Central Baptist Church said rough sleeping in the capital is ‘out of control’ and ‘beyond anything the church can solve’. Other churches and charities joined their call for more action and […]
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How to help people surviving on the streets during freezing weather
January 7, 2026People sleeping rough are at greater risk than ever as London councils deactivate emergency housing protocols amid an Arctic blast and the looming threat of heavy snow from Storm Goretti. Many people today woke up to icy pavements and closed schools as temperatures plummeted once again due to the relentless Arctic blast. Forecasters have warned […]
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I’ve spent every New Year’s Eve for five years running a homeless shelter
December 28, 2025At 9pm on New Year’s Eve, mum-of-two Kar will say goodbye to her family, and head out the door. But she’s not off to watch fireworks or sing Auld Lang Syne with friends, instead she’s about to embark on a 10-hour shift at a homeless shelter in London. This will be the fifth year in […]
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Homeless man forced to sleep in shopping mall doorway at Christmas
December 25, 2025To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video A man sits freezing cold in a shopping centre as people snap up presents – but he says the only gift he wants is a bed for the night. Paul Straffon, 47, has been left to seeking […]
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London gets at least one new Banksy mural for Christmas
December 22, 2025A new Banksy mural that shows two children lying down and looking at the sky has appeared in west London. The artist revealed he was behind the artwork above a row of garages on Queen’s Mews in Bayswater by posting a photo of it to his Instagram account on Monday afternoon. A second, identical artwork […]
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‘The system is at a breaking point’ Inside London’s housing crisis after minister resigns
August 9, 2025London’s chronic housing crisis remains a hot topic after the resignation of the homelessness minister, Rushanara Ali. The MP resigned on Thursday after being accused of being a ‘hypocrite’ for raising the rent at her property by £700. Ali was accused of getting rid of four tenants in her townhouse in Bow, east London, before […]
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Homelessness minister resigns after ‘kicking out tenants’ and upping rent by £700
August 7, 2025Homelessness minister Rushanara Ali has resigned after been accused of being a ‘hypocrite’ for raising the rent at her property by £700. Downing Street confirmed the move, which comes after the 50-year-old got rid of four tenants in her townhouse in Bow, east London, before relisting it soon after for more money. In a letter […]
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UK homelessness minister faces calls to resign over tenant eviction claims
August 7, 2025The UK homelessness minister, Rushanara Ali, is facing calls to resign after claims she evicted tenants from her east London property before increasing the rent by almost £700 a month. Four tenants who rented a four-bedroom house owned byAli were given four months’ notice in an email last November and told their lease would not […]
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‘It’s hell on earth for me’: how did Joe Black overdose in a homeless hostel with zero tolerance for drugs?
March 6, 2025Jude Black was delighted when her son, Joe, moved into Holmes Road Studios in Camden, north London. This wasn’t any old homelessness hostel. It had just won an award from the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and it looked gorgeous. The 59 refurbished studio flats had en suite bathrooms and were designed around a […]
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