Crisis is the UK's national charity for homeless people. It was founded in 1967 in response to a film that highlighted the plight of homelessness. Crisis operates year-round centers across the UK that provide education, housing, and well-being services to homeless individuals. It relies on donations for funding and had total income of £23.5 million in 2013/14. Crisis campaigns to prevent homelessness and advocates for housing solutions informed by research. Some impacts include over 4,600 people visiting Crisis at Christmas in 2016. Crisis hopes to ultimately end homelessness through its plans over the next 5 years.

1. Client Research
Oli Walwyn

2. Overviewof the Client - Crisis
• Crisis is the UK national charity for homeless people. They started in
1967 in response to the Ken Loach film Cathy Come Home shown the
year previous which was about a young couple and their descent into
homelessness. There was then a publicity campaign by reforming
Conversatives William Shearman and Ian Macleod highlighting what
homeless people go through.
• The charity offers year-round education, housing and well-being
services from centers in London, Newcastle, Oxford, Edinburgh and
Merseyside called Crisis Skylight Centers. Crisis also runs Crisis at
Christmas since 1972 and offers food, warmth, companionship and
vital services to the homeless over Christmas.
• They rely on donations and fundraises for their income. Total income
for the year 2013/14 was £23.5 million and make all their finances
see-through and can be found here:
http://www.crisis.org.uk/pages/who-funds-us.html
Slogan: Homelessness ends here Website: http://www.crisis.org.uk/

3. The Issues
What issues your client campaign on?
• Crisis deals with a number of types of homelessness such as rough sleeping,
statutory homelessness, hidden homelessness, squatting and homelessness among
different groups.
• Crisis campaigns to improve the lives of single homeless people, working to prevent
people from becoming homeless and advocating housing solutions informed by
research and direct experience.
• They have campaigned for various welfare policies and bills. For example, Crisis is
calling for a new legal duty on local authorities so that homeless people have the
right to meaningful written advice, assistance and emergency accommodation.
What are some of the impacts they have managed to achieve?
• In 2016, almost 4,600 homeless people visited Crisis at Christmas which was run by
10,500 volunteers.
What are they still hoping to achieve?
• To end homelessness once and for all.
• Here are their plans for the next 5 years:

4. Facts and Figures
• In 2016, almost 4,600 homeless people visited Crisis at Christmas which was run
by 10,500 volunteers.
• 1 in 3 rough sleepers have experienced violence while homeless.
• In the past year, homelessness has increased 16%.
• In 2016 Government statistics showed that 4,134 people slept rough on any one
night across England – this is over double the number counted in 2010.
• Local agencies report 8,096 people slept rough in London alone throughout
2015/16 – a six percent rise on the previous year, and more than double the
figure of 3,673 in 2009/10.
• 114,790 households applied to their local authority for homelessness assistance
in 2015/16, an 11 percent rise since 2010/11.
• 57,730 households were accepted as homeless and in ‘priority need’ – a six
percent rise on 2014/15.
• A total of 275,000 approached their local authority in England in the last year for
homelessness assistance.

5. Facts and Figures
• Housing supply has not kept pace with demand for many decades. In total, just
over 140,000 new houses were supplied in 2013-14, well below the estimated
250,000 required to keep up with demand.
• The Conservative government has cut the Housing Benefit by around £7 billion.
• Up to 80% of homeless people have mental health problems.
• The average age of death for a homeless person is just 47 – lower than Chad
which has the lowest life expectancy in the world – 49.81.
• Homeless people are 13 times more likely to be victim of violence.
• 20% of homeless women have become homeless to escape violence from
someone they know.
• In five years, the number of young people sleeping rough in London has more
than doubled.
• 8% of 16-24 year olds report recently being homeless – nearly a tenth.
• Data released by HM Revenue and Customs shows the number of children in
‘low-income families’ rose from 2.5 million to 2.75 million between 2013-14 –
just 1 year. (low-income families= families in receipt of out-of-work benefits or
those in receipt of tax credits with an income of less than 60 percent of the
national average).