Thousands sleeping rough as Britain freezes

As Britain freezes so too do the thousands sleeping rough in towns and cities across the country, Whilst the majority of us worry about staying warm, for those on the streets the priority is staying alive in sub-zero temperatures.
Figures from the Department of Local Government reveal the problem is getting worse - an estimated 4,134 people now sleeping rough every night in England, the number more than doubling since 2010.
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[@Fixedandworking]

I was in a hostel for a year. It was well dodgy but we had our own rooms. Then after a year I was offered a flat which I still live in. That was 18 years ago, so iam very grateful for the homeless hostel for helping me.

[@Angel-vl3bk]

I'm really happy you got yourself sorted. Just curious are you still on benifits or did someone give you a job? Im going to be homeless very soon so just getting an idea of a possible light at the end.

[@Fixedandworking]

@@Angel-vl3bk Blimey I've just seen your reply. Yes I got a job within 6 months. How about you ? I hope you are doing ok

[@DakotaHarmonKingJr]

So pretty much you've been taken advantage of the system for 19 years now

[@Fixedandworking]

@Jarod Why don't mind your own business

[@jackwatsonepic626]

​@@Fixedandworkingexactly he's the type of person that would winge about people being on benefits but says nothing about these focus coming over on dinghies illegally to this country and getting hotel rooms while us UK born and bred , homeless people live on the streets 🇬🇧

[@pattskatoey3139]

It’s heartbreaking. Everyone deserves a home.

[@jackwatsonepic626]

This must be heartbreaking to know that foreign people who are entering this country illegally and then getting hotel rooms , when you are entitled to nothing . it is exactly the same as what George Carlin says if the government people could make money out of the homeless they would be no longer any homelessness not a truer word said That's why the borders of the UK are the way they are , because the big wigs make money out of it " what ordinary Joe public UK citizens can do f all about 🇬🇧

[@OOWKMEDIA]

thank you channel 4, the truth is hard to swallow also I could feel in the reporters voice he feels emotional

[@jackrainbow560]

don't thank them, you are being lied to and grotesquely lied to. try 41,340 sleeping rough, that might be a credible figure. Have you been told Islam is a peaceful religion as well?

[@simonyip5978]

Jack Rainbow were did you get that number from? Is there a link to the source?

[@biancaswart9701]

Homelessness is no joke. I know... I am so happy I can pay my rent now, and buy food.

[@simonvalsler4778]

There is no clearer visible symbol to highlight that the current political system is floored, than the homeless epidemic. Makes me very angry!!!!!

[@charlotteb31]

sad world we live in no one should be homeless and hungry

[@williedaniel6194]

Manchester England 🇬🇧 cold 🥶 and wet

[@peacedreamerable]

If coroners in the UK were allowed to cite hypothermia due to homelessness , instead of finding any other potential link cause as required by athorities , the figures of premature death from homelessness would rocket and something would be done. We are left unaware due to this manipulation of numbers.

[@MrSupercar55]

The cause of death is determined by clinical and pathophysiological factors rather than political ones.

[@killerjoe3025]

Drugs drink depression

[@ianhill4585]

Depression certainly the other 2? Maybe, but not always..

[@blancabulgrin5560]

I wonder do they have a mother that can house his own house? No family? That's what saddens me he could be my son i hope n pray someone helps them .

[@gary36104]

Probably a step parent seen it before

[@Townie7177]

Ive ran out of oil several times and my house at one point was so cold that you could see your breath.eventually my toilet water froze solid and then cracked the pipes.and no agencys had funding and it was only january.

[@topdogx2958]

The fact is 1 in 200 people in the U.K are homeless.

[@jamesblower3301]

Don't the media get it this government don't help you if you lost your job and can not pay your rent because not everyone can get benefits and it's the council that kick you out if you can not pay your rent

[@7166tom]

This 2017 please let's all do something please

[@jaykay5504]

It's 2021 still nothing done

[@citytrades705]

2021 almost 2022 mate

[@imme4870]

2022 still doing nothing

[@patriciarowe6685]

2024 still doing nothing.

[@greeneyedbeing]

So true, hostels are so bad for women too. Some scary men in there.

[@paulaannstewartTHANKFUL2024]

What has become of them in 2021?

[@littledotti6808]

Great to see organisations out there helping. Is the Govt collecting data from these organisations to get a better head count of how many people are homeless and their needs, like mental health, health issues etc....watching these online vids about homeless people same issue keeps coming up. Where beds are piled into a large room, people feel unsafe to sleep there in case their belongings go missing. Need secured rooms. Which some organisations do offer.

[@mahroofuddin9652]

Sad very sad...in today's day and age no one should be sleeping on the streets or without a roof over their heads. .may Allah swt make life easier for the homeless people in the world. ..✌☝

[@TanvirAhmed-wk4hx]

Amin

[@finanzferdinand9874]

2:40 Nice to see Paul McCartney is helping

[@michelepiteo2196]

It's a disgrace None of this existed to such an extent 100 years ago. And this modernity.? Pah. It's nothing of the kind in it's Unkindness

[@MarcusCato275]

michele piteo 100 years ago Britain had workhouses where the poor would go to. We should bring them back.

[@missfatimajinnah8776]

I wonder how can royal family live in such big palaces & doesn't care about these people.. These people are Britishers & they have equal right to have a good life. When you become so much materialistic you really don't care about other humans & that's so heartbreaking.. The only solution is something in between capitalism & communism where people pay the poor rate as we Muslims are obliged to pay although alot of Muslims not pay because they are so much impressed from western liberalism I want them to see this dark side of West..U.K sells weapons & send forces to Afghanistan & other countries why they don't spend money on betterment of humans instead of spending it on war..

[@MarjorieMay-kc6ls]

Why are Immigrants coming into our country and getting housed strait away. I am not saying Muslim because I’m racist. I have had a few Muslim friends but they weren’t practicing Muslims. They come here now Illegally and get some where to live. Why is that? I have never seen a Muslim on the streets. They seem to get treated better even when they are Illegal. I can’t see where any Muslim from Bangladesh or Pakistan, Nigeria or Africa are legal Immigrants they are not. They are Illegal. Thousands of them are on benefits because they are from a third world country and are not Qualified to do anything. They are quite Illiterate. They also demand more even though they are not working. Why do these people get preference over our young children on the streets and X Solders that fort for our country. An 85 year old X solder got moved out of the old Coal Exchange last week in the freezing cold. He died four hours later. This cannot be right. Immigrants are getting preference over British born people.

[@HShango]

you've lost your mind, you racist twonk.

[@grime_garage]

Marjorie May Where was the family of this 85 yr old x shoulder. Why didnt they help out.

[@BabylonianHebrew]

Moses Jonson Excellent refutation! You made a really good point. Clearly quite an intellectual, you must have gone to a very expensive university

[@TedThomasTT]

do you think engaging with deluded people is worthwhile? there is no helping some people, better to laugh and move on.

[@Imashedjesscarabbit]

It's the sharing' of wealth seens the Tories come. in many people fallen down on hard Times.

[@donnablackman3954]

Get some dignated sites for caravans more economical then hostols and temp in long term♥️

[@jesusismylord1496]

This is terrible that there are no where for these people so make sure when you next see a homeless person to help them in some way & not just a few pennies buy them some socks & food ect

[@PhillipplaistedPlaisted-qu7nc]

If i was homless in the winter i would put 12 jumpers on and put a pair of cloves on and 2 pairs of jeans on and get inside my sleeping bag thats the only way too try and beat the cold weather

[@harrym915]

There is lots of talk in the comments about race however, it has very little to do with that. The biggest problem is the growing disproportionate share of wealth and austerity under the Conservatives. Its no miracle that figures are rising after the Conservatives formed their government in 2010.

[@harrym915]

80% of the population of the UK are white so for whites to be the most commonly found homeless dosent supprise me

[@harrym915]

Privileged in such a way as to not get discriminated against like a black person or a transgender person might, however, in this case, I do not think that it is likely that these people came from wealthy families who could support them should they fall on hard times. Privilege can be measured in many different ways but I would argue that socio-economic classification plays a much stronger role in forecasting who could become homeless.

[@woden3894]

The biggest problem is all the champagne socialists under Labour opened the flood gates to mass migration so they can have cheap labour and now are social welfare system is collapsing under the strain. We seem to find the social care, council housing or mental health for every third world migrant, but zero for those born a bred brits whether their black or white.

[@harrym915]

We clearly are not finding council housing for every immigrant as over 58% of people sleeping rough in London between 2015 and 2016 were of a non-UK nationality (Department for Communities and Local Government 2016 report).

[@woden3894]

I know. That was a reference to 800 or so weekly assylum aplications. The 58% are mainly illegals and Eastern Europeans who fall flat on the UK job market. They all put a strain on the social housing and lets face it if you a single white male, with no dependents and a drug problem you get last dibs on the council waiting list.

[@brucevilla7490]

Johnson will only make matters worse.

[@brettstreutker9603]

How many are driven to Suicide in these conditions......for some death is better than being abandoned and forgotten

[@grapebublegum7519]

Plz help them

[@mosapedoterrorist7529]

Being homeless u just feel totally invisible,very few will even say hi to u, And u get calles junkie n all this pish,even if u never taken anything thats you,

[@markyboyb32ify]

and yet we house refugees no problem. When the homeless on the streets are increasing EVERY month. The government is simply not doing enough! Its not just about housing people either its about Mental Healthcare because there is not enough guidance out there! it is a major problem now and more needs to be done.

[@markyboyb32ify]

i am an electrician you idiot. Don't really see any coloured people on site though they don't seem to have much skill. Oh btw you see that cheap shit laptop your using, the white man invented that ;)

[@markyboyb32ify]

Mother go wire a house ? Lmao is that all you got haha okay I'm done with your nonsense.

[@muhammadabdurrahim752]

Mother lol you sound like a Muslim

[@joanketelby752]

It is about time.

[@joanketelby752]

Yes, and that would never have happened if it weren't for western civilization.

[@HShango]

hard times literally, tories know this all to well, they should be building flats and houses like no tomorrow

[@ParticleJesus]

We need to protect the environment. We don't need any more people or houses. UK has a productive carrying capacity for around 40 million people, we are way way beyond that at this point. Only neoliberals want to keep pushing growth and population higher and higher to keep consumption and GDP going! Enough!

[@YoniNadi]

Maybe the homeless people in Britain’s cities should try to find abandoned houses; and other abandoned buildings, and squat!

[@diamondintheroughiamthelaw9682]

Hmmmmm.... Maybe the Royal Family can Build more apartment buildings. That's a stretch. Nice to know they (the Royals) are nice and warm however. Let them freeze and eat cake. ( The populace. )🙄😖😖😤

[@chris-hu7tm]

1:06 extreme wealth? might as well be a guy who saved up to get his dream car

[@carlwakeling4915]

PEOPLE SLEEPING ROUGH OVER THE WINTER !! THERE ARE SO MENY MILLIONAIRES IN ENGLAND AND SHOULD ALL GET TOGETHER AND HELP THESE POOR PEOPLE INTO SOME TYPE OF WARM ACCOMMODATION 👍🌞

[@sarojakrieg4780]

Refugees are big business for rich people.They make good money The turkey fellow makes good money.

[@davidvarley1812]

No one notices the urban homeless. If you think homeless people are only in town or city centres your wrong. I often sleep in residential areas close to my former home. By doing that I know I'll be safer but won't get any help.

[@franksu9735]

朱門酒肉臭，路有凍死骨

[@Soundboy817]

I sympathise with the homeless in the uk but they can definitely seek help for home/shelter n then find Work n some refuse help which is ridiculous self pitying....this ain’t the 3rd world...in this world if u really really want something you’ll get it regardless

[@t814]

Sambo187 There aren't enough homeless shelters. In London, instead of funding social services and social housing, increasing the minimum wage so that people on the lowest wages have enough to live, tackling tax havens to recoup £trillions lost in income to the treasury, homeless had been criminalised. Councils spent taxes installing spikes in shelters and on pavements to simply kick homeless people out of their borough. Social house building has come to a standstill under the Tories who are giving away £12 billion not to councils to build social housing but to private property firms to build "affordable" housing that starts at half a million. Even women's shelters, for women who face violence from their partner/ex-partner are to lose all their funding from next year despite statistics showing on average, two women murdered every week by their partner/ex-partner. Even if homeless people find shelter, it's temporary. Where are they supposed to be housed if the government is forcing councils to sell their social properties? They'll also need long term healthcare but NHS mental healthcare staff are leaving in their thousands compared to only the hundreds that recruited because of Jeremy Hunt. And with the rushed rollout of Universal Credit which puts recipients in rent arrears, those renting in the private sector (because of the social housing shortage) face being evicted because their salaries aren't enough. Those looking to rent in the private sector are automatically rejected if they're on Universal Credit because of the Government's problem with payments. It was even brought up in PMQs and ignored as usual. This isn't a third world country yet disabled people have to turn to the UN for help, people in employment have to turn to food banks, war veterans are sleeping on the street, an NHS that needs the help of charities, schools resorting to pupils writing on the back of the previous year's school work while begging parents to donate and volunteer because the school can't afford to recruit teachers or cleaners and school children who have a household income of over £7,500 are considered too rich to be entitled to free school meals. This shouldn't be happening in a first world country where when we have multi-millionaires in government having their food, travel, second homes etc paid for by the taxpayer.

[@Soundboy817]

The mystery gamer you’ve got some valid points I see where you’re coming from.....it’s a viscous cycle and entails various aspects impacting this problem

[@peacedreamerable]

Its as good as a third world , you obviously have enough material comfort and prefer to stay in ignorance. Maybe if you did some volunteering and really saw what this man feared enough to sleep rough , your ideas would change but you are precisely the sort who facilitates this countries abysmal treatment of those less fortunate.

[@grime_garage]

Sambo187 Nobody should be homeless. The real problem we have in the uk is that we refuse to build upwards meaning spaces for homes is at a premium. The high rises we do have look like prisons blocks on the outside and inside. The other problem we have is that nobody wants to buy new build family homes. People like victorian style houses but those houses are being turned into bedsits. What developers and government should be doing is build modern day bedsits and the government should ban landlords turning family homes into bedsits. My local council closed 5 blocks of flats that have stood empty for 8 years borded up.

[@joanketelby752]

It will become third world very soon with the continuous immigration from third world countries.

[@G4NoChallenge]

Come on Channel 4, what a load of rubbish - there is absolutely no need for anyone to sleep rough, they simply need to pop into social services and they will immediately, the same day, be put up in a BandB or hotel until permanent housing is found for them. Channel 4 could you not find one rough sleeper who was not into substance or alcohol abuse?

[@susanbrown2909]

NoChallenge not surprising is it...in their circumstances.

[@Dynamic3DLtd]

PLenty of money to house the 3rd world here though eh.

[@YoniNadi]

Good! I don’t care about Britain’s homeless workers .

[@MarcusCato275]

Winter; God's righteous punishment for layabouts and idle living.

[@emchammer1815]

God does not punish the homeless

[@yayaceravieja1461]

Pray to your God that you never find yourself in their situation.

[@four-twenty4205]

Why you so cold hearted?