Latest news with #Shelter
Daily Mirror
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Annabel Croft spent 10 days in homelessness hell without a penny to her name
Former British tennis star Annabel Croft was one of several celebrities who took part in the BBC's Famous, Rich and Homeless in 2009, and the experience left her fearing for her life at one point Annabel Croft spent 10 days living on the streets of London without a penny to her name for the BBC's Famous, Rich and Homeless docu-series. The programme followed several volunteers who traded their luxurious lifestyles to experience the extreme poverty that Shelter today estimates 345,000 people in the UK are currently enduring. Croft, who temporarily abandoned her lavish six-bedroom home and numerous creature comforts to sleep in shop doorways for a week and a half in 2009, was joined by Hardeep Singh Kohli, Rosie Boycott, Bruce Jones and the Marquis of Blandford. Each embarked on their own journey into homelessness. Despite knowing it would be challenging, nothing could have prepared the now 58-year-old pundit, who is currently working at Wimbledon, for the physical and emotional hardship she faced during the experiment. In a Daily Mail column published the same year as the series, Croft recalled a terrifying moment when she was nearly stabbed. She wrote: "Slowly, I made it to the Strand in time to make the food drop from a van provided by a charity called the Simon Community. When I got there, an old battleaxe of a woman demanded, 'What are you doing here?' I said I just wanted a cup of tea but she said I was unwelcome. "She had spotted Fiona, my camerawoman, and clearly wanted to provoke a fight. I was still trying to get some tea when two Polish guys came at me from nowhere. Fiona and I were both protected - from a distance - by a security guard, Stuart Cleverley. "Within moments he was by my side, grabbed me by the arm and whisked me away from my argument. Only when we were 30 yards clear did he tell me that one of the men had pulled out a knife and was inches away from stabbing me in the back." The harrowing ordeal left Croft "scared witless" and contemplating abandoning the documentary due to fears of leaving her children motherless if she were to be fatally attacked on London's streets. However, she resolved to carry on until the end, encountering individuals from all walks of life - some who selflessly offered assistance in a display of camaraderie, even while grappling with their own struggles. Despite being thrust into extremely daunting situations, such as engaging with substance abusers and constructing a temporary home from cardboard, Croft confessed that the experience profoundly altered her view of the homeless. She said: "On so many occasions I have walked past homeless people and thought, 'Oh for goodness sake, you are so young. Get up and go and get a job.' But no one will employ a person who has no address who can't prove who they are. It's a vicious circle." She also shared her emotional response, feeling "disturbed" by the scenes she witnessed yet also "humbled and privileged" to participate in the programme's mission to challenge perceptions about the homeless. Following the broadcast, Croft delved deeper into the issue with her BBC Radio 5 Live show entitled James: My Alcoholic Friend, which revolved around her efforts to reconnect with one of the rough sleepers she spent time with on Famous, Rich and Homeless. Croft is currently making an impact with her commentary at Wimbledon, where tennis greats vie for the coveted Grand Slam title. Despite never securing a major herself, Croft made quite the impression on SW19's courts, reaching the third round in 1984. She also completed her career with a singles track record of 49-68 and one WTA title to her name. All eyes are set on WTA No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka at this year's tournament, as she gears up for a quarter-final clash against Laura Siegemund on Tuesday at Centre Court, aiming to bag her fourth Grand Slam title. Amanda Anisimova is also scheduled to face Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova later in the day, with the remaining two quarter-final spots yet to be decided at the time of writing.
BBC News
04-07-2025
- General
- BBC News
Hundreds of women sleeping rough in Bristol, census finds
There are about 23 times more women sleeping rough in a city than government figures suggest, according to a new St Mungo's, The Nelson Trust, One25 and Shelter worked with Bristol City Council on the research that found there are about 349 women sleeping rough in Bristol - compared with just 15 recorded by government snapshot counts."The Bristol women's census reveals a stark reality: hundreds of women in our city are experiencing homelessness," said Jennifer Riley, CEO at city council leader, Heather Mack, said that the council would "use this information to help inform and improve services". Ms Riley added: "This data is a call to action - for fair funding and gender-informed services."Together, we can do more to ensure that every woman has a safe place to stay."Andrew McCarthy, strategic lead for Shelter Bristol said: "While rough sleeping is unsafe for anyone, women who are homeless often face the added risk of being vulnerable to violence, sexual assault, and harassment."The Bristol Women's Census is a stark reminder that women often go under-recorded in the government's rough sleeping counts, simply because of how risky it is to bed down in spaces that feel exposed." 'Hidden from view' Meanwhile, the national Women's Rough Sleeping Census found that there are about ten times more female rough sleepers across the country than the government accounts incorporated women sleeping in unsafe, hidden places, or staying mobile at night to avoid harm in its figures in an attempt to "capture the widespread impact of domestic abuse and violence"."The numbers show there are significant amounts of women sleeping on the streets, with many more hidden from view meaning they are not included in official statistics," said Laura Shovlin, regional head at St Mungo's.
Scottish Sun
03-07-2025
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Thousands on benefits including Universal Credit are missing out on help with key bill
We share how you can apply for the support TO YOUR BENEFIT Thousands on benefits including Universal Credit are missing out on help with key bill Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THOUSANDS on benefits, including Universal Credit, are missing out on help with a key bill. Council tax is an annual fee you pay to your local council. The cost is set by your council and goes towards funding local services. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 We explain how you can help with your council tax bill if you claim Universal Credit Credit: Alamy That means the amount you pay varies depending on where you live. You usually have to pay the charge if you own or rent your home. But if you claim certain benefits, such as Universal Credit, you could be entitled to a discount on the amount you pay. The support is given out by local councils in England, so how much you get will depend on where you live, your income, dependants and other benefits. You can find out if you're eligible by visiting To use the tool, you will need to enter your postcode and it will redirect you to your local council's website where you can find out more. How much you get will also depend on what band you are in. The bands range from A to H, with A homes paying the least and H the most. For example, households in Leeds can apply for a Council Tax Support if they claim Universal Credit or Carers Allowance. In Manchester, you can claim council tax support when you apply for Universal Credit. Disability benefit explained - what you can claim If you are already receiving council tax support but are due to be moved across to Universal Credit it is important to tell the council. The government is in the process of moving people on older benefits, like tax credits and income-based ESA, to the newer Universal Credit system. You may have received a migration notice in the form of a letter. As soon as you get this, write to your local council to ensure your support continues. Charities such as Shelter have information online about how to structure the letter. You can find out more by visiting, What other Council Tax Support is available? If you're not receiving benefits or don't qualify for your local authority's low-income council tax support scheme, you may still be eligible for help. Pensioners may also be able to get a council tax discount if they receive certain benefits. Those on the guarantee credit element of pension credit could get up to 100% off their bill. If you do not get guaranteed credit but have a low income and less than £16,000 in savings then you may still get some help. Meanwhile, if you are a pensioner who lives alone then you will qualify for a 25% discount. Elsewhere, you could get a 25% council tax reduction if you live on your own or if others at home are classed as "disregarded". For example, if a single adult lives with a severely mentally impaired person then they can get 25% off their council tax. Meanwhile, if you live in an all-student household then you do not need to pay any council tax.
BBC News
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Ilkley folk concert pays tribute to local 'hermit' legend
More than 200 years ago, a man who had fallen on hard times was living in a shack the size of a dog kennel on a bleak moorland. Job Senior was known as the "hermit of Ilkley Moor" - a skilled builder of dry stone walls and a gifted singer who travelled around the local inns to 1975, local musicians the Mountain Ash Band released a folk album inspired by his story, and a tribute concert based on the melodies will be held to mark its 50th anniversary on Saturday 5 event will raise money for the homelessness charity Shelter, as Job's life was one of hardship and he was often without a permanent home in the 19th Century. It was in his latter years that Job Senior became known as the Hermit of Rumbolds Moor – the historic name for Ilkley Moor – a wandering singer whose own life reads like a folk had been born illegitimate, "so he was kind of stigmatised," explains Geoffrey Shaw-Champion, chair of the Baildon Civic and Historical Society, who is co-organising the father came from a landed family and left him a financial legacy when he turned 21. But as Geoffrey recounts, "he went to Leeds and squandered it on drink," eventually returning penniless to Burley in day, Job worked as a farm labourer and later as a dry stone waller, building many of the walls that still stand across Burley Moor and often working into the night by lantern light to finish them."So his legacy is palpable, really," says it was his singing voice that ultimately won him a place in Yorkshire folklore. Job's life had taken a tragic turn after he pursued and married a widow 20 years his senior who owned a small farm and land on Burley Moor."They were quite comfortable for a while," Geoffrey after her death, her relatives blamed him and while he was away, they destroyed his house and stole his wife's life nowhere left to go, Job suffered what would now be recognised as a full mental breakdown, but refused to get help to find another desire for dignity is "something that homeless people today would understand very much", says the hermit built himself a ramshackle shelter on the moor, the size of a dog kennel, living there for nearly 30 years until his death in 1857 at the age of 77."He had a wonderful singing voice," Geoffrey recounts."So he managed somehow to make a living singing in local pubs and hostelries. It was a very sad story, but amazingly he managed to survive in these dreadful circumstances." Local lore relates that people used to visit the small hovel on the moor to hear him sing, and even to seek advice and hear his weather forecasts. And he too would traipse across the county in all weathers to sing in pubs and inns, often sleeping in the could even sing "four voices" across the male vocal range, it was said, and would lie on a bed of straw on Sunday mornings singing psalms out on the his final years, he was known to be unkempt and smelly, sleeping in stables with story, recounts Geoffrey, tells of a young lad spiking his drink while he was singing in a pub in Addingham. Struggling to walk home afterwards, the landlord took him to the workhouse. He is said to have walked six miles in winter to reach it before he died there, and was buried in Burley's was his renown that a local inn was named The Hermit in his honour while he was still alive – and it still stands in Mountain Ash Band's album told Job Senior's life story from birth to death through music, explains Geoffrey, and their first concert in Ilkley's King's Hall sold favourite track is Stone on Stone, which describes Job building the weekend's concert will feature a new rendition of the original album by an electric folk tribute band brought together by Tim Moon, who hosts a folk music programme on BCB community members of the original Mountain Ash Band, now in their 80s, will also attend."Losing your home can have a devastating effect on mental wellbeing," Geoffrey explains. "Fortunately, Job was able to earn a living singing, and his four voices became well-known in the district."At 200 years old, those walls he built are still standing," he further reflects. "His legacy lives on in the stones he laid across the moor, in the songs he sang, and in the folk melodies that will honour him once more this weekend."The Hermit tribute concert is on Saturday at 19:30 BST at Wesley's Community Hub in Baildon. Tickets are available via Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
Leader Live
02-07-2025
- Business
- Leader Live
Rayner to back plan to build 180,000 social homes in next decade
The figure would be six times the number of social homes built in the 10 years up to 2024. It forms part of a drive to build 300,000 new social and affordable properties by 2035, backed by a £39 billion investment announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves in last month's spending review. Calling on the social housing sector to 'work together to turn the tide on the housing crisis together', the Deputy Prime Minister said the investment was 'the biggest boost to social and affordable housing in a generation'. She said: 'We are seizing this golden opportunity with both hands to transform this country by building the social and affordable homes we need, so we create a brighter future where families aren't trapped in temporary accommodation and young people are no longer locked out of a secure home.' But even the 180,000 new social homes set to be promised on Wednesday may not be enough to solve Britain's housing crisis. Housing charity Shelter has argued that the Government needs to build 90,000 new social homes a year for the next decade – five times the figure Ms Rayner has committed to. According to Shelter, building 90,000 social homes a year would clear waiting lists, which currently stand at around 1.3 million households, and end the use of temporary accommodation. Mairi MacRae, Shelter's director of campaigns, said the focus on social housing was 'a vital step in tackling the housing emergency and getting homelessness under control', but urged the Government to do more. She said: 'Now they must go further and ramp up building to 90,000 social rent homes a year – this means getting tough on developers, supporting councils to get building and having a clear, overall social rent target for all delivery.' Ms Rayner's target for social and affordable housing forms part of a wider long-term plan also due to be published on Wednesday, setting out how the Government both build more houses and improve housing standards. It is expected to include a commitment to implement minimum energy efficiency standards in the social housing sector for the first time and extend the decent homes standard to the private rental sector. The decent homes standard currently only applies to social homes, and includes requirements to keep properties in a reasonable state of repair, have reasonably modern facilities and be free of major hazards such as mould or asbestos. Currently, around a fifth of privately rented homes are thought not to meet the standard. Wednesday's plan will also include further reforms of the right to buy system intended to limit the amount of social housing that is sold off. Last year, the Government cut the discount available to social tenants looking to buy their homes under right to buy, and ministers have been consulting on further changes. Shadow housing secretary Kevin Hollinrake said: 'Conservatives actually delivered 700,000 new affordable homes when in office, but Angela Rayner can only manage a promise of 300,000. 'By slashing support for affordable home ownership and demanding more expensive social rent, Labour's approach will mean fewer new affordable homes can be delivered overall – and working people will suffer the consequences.'
