England
STREET SOCCER LONDON
Street Soccer London, founded in 2020, is a charity and non-profit social enterprise that aims to create positive pathways for young people and adults.
Working from two bases in Lambeth and Nine Elms, Street Soccer use free football sessions to engage with players from aged 8 and above. They create a safe environment to interact, socialise and create opportunities for growth.
With a wide variety of programmes from drop-in sessions to walk in football, as well as female specific sessions across London, Street Soccer’s experienced staff deliver fun and engaging sessions, with the hope of influencing positive choices in the lives of their players.
Through participation in Street Soccer football sessions players also gain free access to professional support and guidance, alongside trusted partner organisations who operate in the local community.
This platform offers a structured and attainable pathway for all participants, tailored to their needs and ambitions, and centred on providing opportunities through volunteering, training, education and employment.
Homeless statistics
13 out of 189 in Human Development Index rating
(UNDP, 2019) [United Kingdom]
$38,950 Average annual salary per person (World Bank, 2021)
more than 274,000 people are homeless in England including 126,000 children. (2021, Shelter)
England, part of the United Kingdom (UK), has a population of over 54 million (Population UK, 2021). In London, one in 53 people are homeless (Shelter, 2021). These figures are official reporting and do not include undocumented homelessness, including sofa surfing, meaning these figures are likely much higher (Shelter, 2021).
68,680 households approached English councils for support with homelessness between July and September in 2020 while a further 93,490 households were living in temporary accommodation (The Big Issue, 2021).
According to a 2017 study, 64% of councils are struggling to find social tenancies for homeless people, while half find it ‘very difficult’ to assist applications into privately rented accommodations, particularly in the case of young people or large families (Habitat World Map)
Tragically at least 688 people died while homeless in 2020 in England and Wales. The total, despite falling from 2019, is 42% higher than when records began in 2013 (Guardian, 2021).
As of December 2021, more than 274,000 people are homeless in England including 126,000 children (Shelter, 2021). Detailed analysis of official rough-sleeping and temporary accommodation figures show that one in every 206 people in England are currently without a home (Shelter, 2021).
The lack of affordable housing in England is due in part to construction not keeping pace with demand since the 1980s, especially in London. Another major reason for homelessness in England is landlords or letting agencies ending shorthold tenancies (EOH, 2018; Big Issue, 2018).
STORIES from the region
