Homelessness in Kent

Fighting against misconceptions.

Part of our work as a charity is to increase awareness about homelessness, helping to change the stereotypes that exist.

This page contains some information about homelessness, as well as some statistics about homelessness in Kent.

In order to reach out to the next generation, we often visit local schools, colleges and clubs. If you’re interested in us visiting your organisation, just get in touch.

What causes homelessness?

There’s really no easy answer here. The truth is that homelessness occurs for a myriad of reasons, often so closely linked that it’s impossible to see which came first. Some of these reasons may be obvious, but many are not.

Our service users range in age from 17 to 70 years old, though we’ve also worked with mothers and children. They come from all different sorts of backgrounds; there really is no ‘one size fits all’.

We support individuals as well as families. We work with those who are in temporary accommodation and those who are sleeping wherever they find a place that they can feel warm and safe.

We support ex-Forces some suffering with PTSD, people with mental illness and addictions, runaways, disabled, those who suffer or have suffered from domestic violence, divorcees, widows and other bereavements; the list goes on.

All this means that you can never judge two situations in the same way. Every person is an individual, and their situation is unique. Likewise, everyone will need to be helped in a different way, building trust with each person to discover together the issues which have given rise to their homelessness.

Closer than you think

It can often be hard to identify with somebody that you pass on the street, sleeping rough. It can feel very far-removed from your own life and it can be all too easy to judge someone else’s situation. But the reality is, we are all just one or two pay cheques away from homelessness. Ask yourself for how long you could support your family and keep your home without an income.

Ask yourself for how long you could support your family and keep your home without an income.

Life for those who are homeless is not easy. They do not always have access to things that we take for granted: running water, a GP, a dentist, benefits, a letter box or a birth certificate. How do they get mental health help without a GP? How do they register for a bank account without ID? How do they eat without healthy teeth? How do they get a job without a birth certificate or passport?

Of course, these are all things that MSA seeks to help with — providing support that goes beyond the food that we distribute at our soup kitchens and seeks to help those we meet in all areas of their lives.

Kent Homelessness Statistics

The following stats show an insight in to Kent homelessness. You can find out more by visiting the Homeless Link website.

Medway estimated number of homeless:
Autumn 2019 was 12, Autumn 2018 was 19, Autumn 2017 was 44

Maidstone estimated number of homeless:
Autumn 2019 was 3, Autumn 2018 was 9, Autumn 2017 was 41

Swale estimated number of homeless:
Autumn 2019 was 10, Autumn 2018 was 32, Autumn 2017 was 9

Gravesend estimated number of homeless:
Autumn 2019 was 13, Autumn 2018 was 21, Autumn 2017 was 9

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Dominic’s Story

The Medway Street Angels were told about me by the local community who were helping me. They found me in a tent in Strood with my dog. They came searching for me late one night, as they had been told my dog was injured.

They immediately helped by taking me and my dog to a vet and finding a local animal charity to keep up the support. We were freezing cold in the tent as it was heavily snowing, but no one would take me into shelter as I wanted to stay near my children and keep my dog with me.

MSA kept visiting and supplying me with equipment and food parcels. When I received an eviction notice they quickly gave me the answers to prevent moving. With all this happening the animal charity made a Facebook appeal which raised around £800 to pay for the help for Marley.

The Street Angels spoke to loads of organisation trying to find me somewhere to stay. Finally they found me a place to stay temporarily. With this, my baby could come with me and we loved where we were going. A spacious room in a shared house.

They helped me sort my housing benefit to pay for the room and assisted me with other benefits to make sure I can support myself. The MSA kept in regular contact and were always on the phone if I called for support.

Can one person make a difference?

Absolutely! After all, MSA started out as a couple of us with a shopping trolley of food! Here are some really helpful things that you can do to help the homeless in your area:

Register rough sleepers on www.streetlink.org.uk — helping to make sure they aren’t missed.
Donate to small, local charities to ensure your donation benefits your immediate community. Even small gifts make a big difference!
Identify with a simple smile to anyone you feel is sad or down on their luck. This might seem inconsequential, but it can go a long way towards helping them to change their future.

If you see someone without a smile today, lend them one of yours.

If you’d like to be involved with the work that we do here at MSA, our ‘Give Help’ page has lots of information and ideas for fundraising!