UK Homeless Numbers on the Rise

British charities warn that homelessness throughout the United Kingdom is increasing.

The number of young Britons sleeping on the streets is especially worrying. Centrepoint is a charity focused on helping young homeless people. It reported that up to 80,000 young people experience homelessness each year in the UK.

Government reports show that during the past 12 months more than 6,000 people slept on the streets of London. Sky News claims that more than half of those homeless are not from Britain.

National Theatre Director Nadia Fall spent months interviewing homeless youth in the UK.

[Soundbite: Nadia Fall, National Theatre director]

“There is seriously a whole generation that is not going to understand what it means to call somewhere your home, in the way that we do. Somewhere of your own, either to have, to own or even rent.”

Leo became one of the 6,000 homeless in London at age 18. He was forced to rely on the support of others for nine months.

[SOUNDBITE: Leo, last name not given]

“I feel lonely, I feel like I don’t really have a voice. I’m not really accountable for anything despite going to college, being in school and doing stuff like that, I still … you don’t really feel like a person.”

Britain’s economic recovery from the 2008 global financial crisis has been weak.

The Guardian reported in April that more than 20 million families in Britain receive some type of government assistance. Government benefits make up more than half of the household income for nearly 10 million families.

Within the next two years, around 60,000 households will have their government benefits reduced as more spending cuts are enforced. Combined with the increase in housing, the number of homeless threatens to rise.

It was only a century ago that the British Empire was the most powerful in the world. What happened to this once great nation? Will it return to its former prosperity? To learn the answer to these questions, read The United States and Britain in Prophecy.