Aย staggeringย four out of 10 employersย (42%)ย from across the UK have admittedย they would likely seek to terminate an employeesโ contract if they were homeless,ย despiteย nearlyย one inย four householdsย in Englandย beingย at risk of or experiencing homelessnessย an eye-openingย new reportย byย Crisis.
The reportย draws onย aย survey of 250ย UK employers,ย new analysisย of UK governmentย homelessnessย dataย andย in-depth interviews withย peopleย fromย across Great Britainย who have experiencedย being in-work and homeless in the last two years.ย Itย exposesย theย tremendous strainย working and being homeless hasย on a personโsย well-being,ย how itย damagesย peopleโsย chancesย ofย creatingย meaningful connectionsย with colleaguesย andย how staff are reluctant to turn to theirย employer for support out of fear of losing their job.
The research alsoย revealsย howย poorly paid, insecure workย is leaving peopleย trapped inย homelessness.ย ย
Through first-hand accounts, participants revealed how experiencing homelessness while working had a hugely detrimental impact on their physical, mental and emotional well-being which was exacerbated by the constant struggle of trying to keep their homelessness a secret and made daily activities like eating, sleeping and washing extremely difficult to manage.
Participantsย describedย how they were frequently leftย anxiousย andย exhaustedย when at workย due toย the mental toll of trying to find somewhere to sleep night after night,ย with manyย forced toย bedย down inย vehicles, onย floorsย or in tents,ย beforeย having toย travelย longย distances toย get toย workย with very limitedย transport options besides walking.
Many saw their hygiene sufferย as they struggled to wash themselves and their clothes,ย oftenย turningย to gymsย orย the generosity of friendsย to access showers, withย one participantย recallingย howย theyย hadย toย resort toย washing inย train toilets.
Sadly, the isolation of working without a home was also revealed, with most participants choosing not to tell their boss as they felt nothing good would come from it but also from the shame of how they would be perceived. This resulted in many participants taking steps to conceal their situation by using friends or family members addresses for admin and avoiding situations where their homelessness could be uncovered, leaving them cut off emotionally from their peers.
While there were instances of companies providing support to their employers either via time off or loans to find a home, disturbingly several participants reported being let go when their situation came to light with little to no reasoning, other than their situation made their employment untenable.
The survey findings reflect why workers were right to be concerned with over half (56%) of employers stating homelessness would likely have a detrimental effect on a current employeeโs job, while a further 58% disclosed how being homeless would likely have a negative impact on a prospective employeeโs application, suggesting that negative attitudes to homelessness is a major issue amongst UK businesses.
The report also highlighted regional disparities in the number of people trying to hold down a job without a home:
- The highest proportion of working householdsย facingย homelessness are in the East of England (25%) closely followed by London (24%) where challenges with high rents and a lack of affordable housing remain pervasive.ย As of September, London now has more people on zero hero contracts than at any point since 2013.
- Bracknell Forest (41%) in Berkshire and Hyndburn (38%) in Lancashire have the greatest number of workers who are at risk of or experiencing homelessness compared to the rest of England.
- While traditionalย housing costsย have remainedย lower in the North of England compared to the Southย there is an indication that this is beginning to change,ย withย theย North West having the third highest number ofย people inย full-time workย facingย homelessnessย just behind the South East and London.
The research also drilled down into the reasons why workers are locked in a cycle of homelessness with no end in sight. A key driver for most was the sheer lack of affordable housing and rapidly increasing living costs which is putting further pressure on already strained budgets and leaving many fearing how they will cover rent, bills and other necessities like heating and food. The low paid and often insecure nature of their work also meant that in many cases private landlords were reluctant to rent to them leaving them with little hope of finding a home.
People can supportย Crisis this Christmas byย donating ยฃ29.06ย which will provide people experiencing homelessness with a life changing gift of somewhereย safe to stay, food, friendship,ย careย and advice. Please visit:ย www.crisis.org.uk/supportย ย ย ย
