The Homeless Fund: We need your help to fight London's homelessness crisis

Dear London,

We are in a crisis.

The charity Shelter warns that some 170,000 people are homeless in London today. That is one in 52 people in this city who do not have a safe and secure place to call home.

We can all see the problem on our streets. Official statistics show the number of rough sleepers grew 18 per cent last year. But this is just the tip of the iceberg. What is not seen is the “hidden homeless” — those who have no home but often do not show up in official figures.

How many young people sleep on night buses? How many women stay in abusive relationships because the alternative is the streets? How many people in your workplace sofa-surf to make ends meet?

Faced with a crisis of such a scale, we know a new approach is needed. Volunteers, donors, charities and local and central government are all working hard but, clearly, more needs to be done. That is why many of London’s homeless charities have now banded together to address this problem head on.

The London Homeless Collective is a movement of 23 charities and counting.

The Homeless Collective

999 Club; Albert Kennedy Trust; Barons Court Project; Caritas Anchor House; Centrepoint; Church Army; The Connection at St Martin’s; Depaul UK; Evolve Housing & Support; Glass Door Homeless Charity; Homeless Action in Barnet; Homeless Link; Kingston Churches Action on Homelessness; Look Ahead; New Horizon Youth Centre; Shelter; Single Homeless Project; Spear Housing Association Ltd; The Big Issue Foundation; Passage; The Salvation Army, West London Mission Circuit; YMCA England & Wales

We are all committed to ending homelessness in London and recognise that we and the communities we serve have a better chance of achieving this if we work together.

Today we launch our appeal with the Evening Standard. Over the coming months we will together seek to address the worst elements of this crisis.

First we are putting the spotlight on homeless women, who are some of the most vulnerable people in our society. With higher levels of poor mental health than homeless men and often extensive experiences of physical and sexual violence and abuse, their vulnerability is relentless.

By working together we know we can make a tangible, measurable, difference to homeless women in London. But to succeed we need your help.

Please join us and the Evening Standard in doing what we can to tackle this problem. London’s homeless need you.

Thank you for your support.

The London Homeless Collective

This year’s Christmas campaign is for The Homeless Fund, which will finance desperately needed services. The campaign will highlight the worst instances of homelessness globally, with money raised going to help homeless projects in London.