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The Homelessness You Don’t See

We think we know what homelessness looks like: a sleeping bag, a doorway, someone on the street. But that’s only 1% of the real picture.

Behind the morning commute, behind office doors, behind polite small talk, thousands of people are hiding a truth they hope no one notices.

208,600 people in the UK are “hidden homeless.”
They’re sofa surfing.
They’re living in temporary rooms.
They’re moving from place to place, night after night.
And you’d never know—not from the way they show up at work, or sit beside you on the train, or borrow your charger in a meeting.

One in them could be your colleague.
Someone who says, “I’m staying with a friend for a bit.”
Someone who always seems tired.
Someone who never talks about home—because they don’t have one.

And while so many remain unseen, the consequences are devastating.

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In 2024, 1,611 people died while homeless in the UK.
Not just rough sleepers—people whose homelessness was hidden long before their struggle became fatal.

This isn’t just a housing crisis.
It’s a crisis of perception.

If we only look for homelessness on the streets, we miss almost everyone who’s living through it.

Now You See Me – For the thousands who can’t be seen, but desperately need to be.

After serving her country in the armed forces, Susan returned to the UK determined to rebuild her life.

She worked tirelessly, first in a bar and restaurant, then as a chef. But when the COVID pandemic struck, everything changed. Her income vanished, debts mounted, and soon she lost her home and all her possessions. Worst of all, she was separated from her three children.

Alone and sleeping in her car, Susan felt hopeless, forgotten, and ashamed.

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In 2024, Susan found ALABARÉ.

Here, she was welcomed with warmth and dignity. She received a safe place to stay, hot meals, washing facilities, and vital mental health support. She met Karen, our Boots on the Ground Lead, who had once been homeless herself. Karen saw in Susan a reflection of her own journey—and walked alongside her, helping to restore her heart and empower her mind.

Through coaching, wellbeing programmes, and employability training, Susan began to believe in herself again. Today, she’s bidding for supported housing, a place of her own to call home.

She says, “I feel like I can breathe again. ALABARÉ gave me my life back, and I’ve never felt better.”

Thanks to ALABARÉ supporters, Susan is breaking the cycle of homelessness. And every year, we do the same for over 3,000 people across the South West and Wales.

We all need someone to be there for us.

Thank you for being that someone.

A person who is homeless with a comfort pack full of homely touches. Offering young people more than warmth, but a sense of safety, dignity, and belonging.

A critical one-to-one session with a support worker. This quiet moment of connection, trust, and hope can be a lifeline for someone seeking to break the cycle and isolation of homelessness.

An essential welcome pack: Necessities like toothbrushes, toothpaste and toiletries for someone coming off the streets.

Contributes towards a hot meal for someone visiting our Drop-In Service.

Alternatively, please give regularly by sponsoring a Room with a View

– a room with a view of something better ahead.

We are grateful for every donation we receive. By committing to a regular donation of £21 a month by direct debit, you ensure we can continue to be here in someone’s hour of need.

Thank you.

LEARN MORE

Over the past 30 years, we’ve learned a lot about homelessness and how we can help end it for good.

We know that homelessness doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It’s often the result of deeper issues like trauma, poor mental health, poverty, and a lack of opportunity. That’s why our support goes beyond just providing a bed for the night. We offer long-term, wraparound care that helps people rebuild their lives from the ground up.

Last year, we provided hundreds of people in our communities who had faced unimaginable trauma, whether from life on the streets or being alone with nowhere to turn, with the safety, care, and support they needed to rebuild their lives.

#BreakTheCycle #EndHomelessness #WeSeeYou