Homelessness and food poverty have dramatically increased due to Covid-19. What are Brits doing about it?

By Marina Gaiti

Figures have shown that over eight million people in the UK are struggling with food poverty, while homelessness has increased by 141 per cent since 2010, according to Homeless Link website.

One third of the food produced is wasted, according to QSR, and yet food poverty in the UK has skyrocketed over the past 10 years.

To make matters worse, many different organisations, who work very hard to end poverty and homelessness, have been sabotaged by Covid-19 – and have had to either close or dramatically reduce their outreach.

So what are we doing about it? Are we working to make a difference and help those who might be down on their luck?

“It is personally really important for me to help people in need, because spending £5 on a meal for a homeless person or a person who needs it more than you do doesn’t make you any less rich or poor; it makes you a human being,” said Manolo Borisov, 25, a men’s hairstylist.

“It is all about supporting and helping each other, especially those who truly need it.”

Helping rough sleepers

Borisov said that he always helps rough sleepers he sees in the streets of London by buying them food and other essential items. 

“I have been through something similar myself as a child and I know that there is nothing worse than going to bed with an empty stomach, or not even being able to sleep because your stomach is empty,” he said.

The app StreetLink helps put rough sleepers in touch with local services that can help them. If you see a rough sleeper, please contact StreetLink with details via the Mobile app: ‘StreetLink’ from Apple iTunes / Google Play store or phone 0300 500 0914. If the person is a minor, please call 999. 

Plea from charities

Charities in the UK urge Britons to help in any way they can in order to end or at least reduce food poverty and homelessness.

Many of these charities argue that if UK residents would offer a warm meal to a homeless person instead of throwing the excess food away, it would be a massive step forward to end food shortages and rough sleeping. 

“I basically make packages of homemade meals and go to places that I know a lot of people sleeping rough in the streets of London,” said Omar El-Khodary, 21, second year Fine Arts student at London Metropolitan University.

“Not everyone in the world can be as privileged as having a roof over your head as well as having access to food. Life is difficult. An act of kindness could change someone’s life, so let’s make it happen,” said El-Khodary.