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News in Brief 151: August – September 2024

August 01 2024

News in Brief by Pilar Thorley-Saiz


Village Vision

Vermont Construction Group will build a 40-home Embassy Village for the charity Embassy, addressing homelessness in Manchester. Set on land owned by Peel Waters, this modular housing project aims for completion in 2025. The village will offer modular homes for 40 homeless men and include a village hall, green spaces, allotments and a sports area. The Moulding Foundation has donated £3.5m for the first 24 homes, with an additional £1m needed for the rest. Embassy co-founder Sid Williams highlighted the project's sustainable, long-term strategy, aiding residents in finding work and managing homes.


Eviction epidemic

London’s streets are seeing more and more rough sleepers, driven by a dramatic rise in no-fault evictions. More than 1,500 renters found themselves homeless last year after being evicted by their landlords, as reported by the Big Issue. With a staggering 11,993 people seen sleeping rough in 2023/24, a 19% increase from the previous year, the crisis deepens. The delay in abolishing Section 21 evictions leaves many at risk, pushing them out with as little as two months’ notice. Campaigners and advocacy groups emphasise that the increase in homelessness is not just a statistic but a stark reminder of the real lives disrupted, as women, children and elderly individuals are left in extremely vulnerable and dangerous situations with nowhere to turn.



André by his Big Issue pitch. © Nick Cornwall
Book corner: André Rostant had his first book published by the Arkbound Foundation in July. The Muffin Man draws on André’s own experience as a Big Issue vendor, touching on the themes of homelessness, isolation and alienation. Speaking at the book’s launch, André said: “I want the book to make people challenge their own personal assumptions about street sleepers.”


Safe Haven?

Thousands of Ukrainian refugees in the UK face homelessness and exploitation, according to the British Red Cross. Over 9,000 of the 200,000 families staying in the UK risk homelessness due to strained relationships with hosts and difficulties in the housing market. Homelessness is four times more common among Ukrainians than the general UK population. There were 379 new arrivals weekly between February and mid-June 2024. Some have faced dire situations, including unsuitable housing and exploitation, with many being left to sleep on beaches and benches after being made homeless at unsociable hours. The British Red Cross urges the government to improve support and create effective resettlement plans. It is calling for increased assistance for private rental market entry and affordable housing. A report with Heriot-Watt University predicts 6,220 Ukrainian families will seek homelessness support by the end of 2024, a 13% increase from the previous year​.


Rising hope

Hope Rise, a ground-breaking project by ZED PODS, Bristol City Council, Bristol Housing Festival, and YMCA, has introduced the UK's first 100% affordable, net-zero carbon housing development. Situated atop a car park, this innovative project comprises 11 homes for vulnerable young people at risk of homelessness. It utilises precision-engineered modular construction, significantly reducing on-site disruption and ensuring high energy efficiency. With solar panels and energy-efficient systems, the homes are designed to minimise running costs.


Heartless Home Office

In an appalling display of bureaucratic failure, Thelma Campbell, an 89-year-old Windrush generation member, faces eviction and homelessness. Despite six decades of contributing to Britain, the Home Office cannot confirm her identity, denying her a British passport. With her Tottenham home deemed uninhabitable, London’s Haringey Council refuses to rehouse her without this critical document. As her family and community watch on outraged, this shocking case highlights the devastating mental toll on our elderly Windrush community, as they face life-disrupting events, loneliness, and homelessness under a heartless system that fails to recognise its hardworking citizens.



Chairman of the Seoul 2024 Homeless World Cup Lee Kuen-Ho poses with an AFC player of the tournament trophy in 2012. © AP Photo
Football for change: Big Issue Korea and the Seoul 2024 Local Organising Committee (LOC) have appointed former Korea Republic footballer Lee Keun-Ho as Chairman of the Seoul 2024 Homeless World Cup. Lee, who played 84 times for his country and scored at the 2014 FIFA World Cup, will guide the preparations for this transformative event. Set to take place at Hanyang University in September, the tournament will feature 64 teams from 49 countries, including over 500 players who have experienced homelessness. This eight-day festival of football aims to inspire change and raise awareness about homelessness through the universal language of sport. Lee expressed his honour and excitement in leading this initiative, emphasising that “by hosting this prestigious tournament, we [South Korea and the tournament organisers] will use football as a common interest to many across Korea and the world, raising awareness of the importance of housing rights, calling for change, and to expand social empathy around the global issue of homelessness.”


Future is now

Shelter, with 22 offices across England and Scotland, advised over 31,000 households in 2023. With the continuing housing crisis, the demand for its services has soared. Shelter has partnered with technology firm Ciptex to ‘enhance’ its efforts in supporting individuals at risk of homelessness. The new system – a multi-channel self-service contact centre powered by Ciptex’s technology – claims to provide personalised support, assigning each caller their own advisor and freeing up mainline advisors to tackle urgent cases.
But the ‘streamlined’ service delivery comes with a disappointing modern twist. AI-powered chatbots will be tasked with managing inquiries, removing a human element to the service. Strangely, Simon Weeks, CEO of Ciptex, suggested in a press release the collaboration is a bold step towards addressing homelessness with compassion.


Sight support

Scotland’s first eyecare clinic specifically for homeless individuals has opened at the Crisis Skylight Centre in Edinburgh, funded by Specsavers. This clinic, managed by Vision Care for Homeless People (VCHP), offers free eyecare services and operates from the new wellness floor, which also supports various health services. Over 60 attendees, including representatives from Crisis, VCHP and Specsavers, attended the opening event. Mark Kennedy of Crisis Skylight and Jenny Stephenson of Specsavers stressed the importance of making eyecare accessible to all. VCHP founder Elaine Styles praised the clinic, which includes a dispense area, as a testament to their partnership's success. This initiative aims to ensure equitable eyecare access and advocates for policy changes to better serve the homeless community. The collaboration hopes to expand these vital services and improve health outcomes for those experiencing homelessness​.


Swift removal

Ahead of Taylor Swift's concerts in Edinburgh in June, some homeless people have been relocated to Aberdeen and Glasgow due to a shortage of accommodation. Shelter Scotland criticised this as a “blatant injustice,” stating that homeless people should not compete with tourists for lodging. Edinburgh City Council is working to find alternative housing for those affected. The council attributed the issue to a broader housing emergency declared in November, marked by record homelessness, a shortage of social housing and high private rental costs. The Scottish government also declared a national housing emergency, emphasising the urgent need for a different approach. Shelter Scotland director Alison Watson highlighted the injustice, noting that families should not be forced miles from their communities, although the council maintains that using tourist accommodation for homeless households is a last resort​.


Housing Limbo

Linda McVean, a mother from Glasgow, has urgently called for action as she grieves the loss of her son, Frankie McVean, who was stuck in housing limbo. Her plea has highlighted a devastating issue: over 160 people have died in temporary accommodation due to the city’s housing crisis. Sarah Brown, whose son died waiting for permanent housing, urges urgent action. “We need safe, stable homes, not temporary fixes,” she said. Her call comes as Glasgow City Council faces intense scrutiny over systemic failures in providing adequate housing. The council has declared a housing emergency, acknowledging unprecedented pressures and urging both UK and Scottish governments for more funding. These tragedies underscore the dire need for immediate solutions to prevent further loss of life in Glasgow's housing limbo.


Temporary solutions

Homelessness in Glasgow has surged, with nearly 3,000 children now in temporary accommodation. The formerly SNP-run council’s housing emergency declaration has failed to curb the crisis. Labour MSP Mark Griffin criticised soaring rents, unaffordable mortgages and record homelessness, accusing the SNP of exacerbating the issue by slashing affordable housing funds. As of June, 7,371 people were in temporary accommodation, up from 7,265 in April, with £27m spent on private hotels and B&Bs in 2023/24 for the homeless. Campaigners demand immediate restoration of housing budgets and increased secure, permanent, social housing. In July’s general election, Scottish Labour won all six seats in the city.


Issue 151: Comics >
August – September 2024 : Being Heard

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