Kent woman's shame living on streets for 18 months

A woman from Kent, identified as Kimberley, has bravely shared her experience of living on the streets for 18 months, battling drug addiction and mental health challenges. She described profound feelings of shame and dirtiness, stemming from her living conditions in a tent and a dilapidated caravan in Folkestone. Her journey highlights the severe difficulties faced by those experiencing homelessness, particularly regarding hygiene and societal stigma.

Kimberley eventually received support from the homeless charity Porchlight, which helped her secure rented accommodation. This intervention came after a period of intense struggle, as she described feeling like she was 'going in a circle constantly' and 'screaming out for help'. The charity's chief executive noted that too many individuals in Kent lack safety and hope.

Nationally, homelessness figures are at their highest since records began in 2010. In Kent, Sussex, and Surrey alone, an estimated 482 people were sleeping rough last autumn, the highest figure since 2019. While male rough sleepers remain the majority, female numbers have seen a steady increase over the past five years. The government has committed £3.6bn to tackle homelessness, with £50m allocated to support frontline councils and voluntary groups over three years. The government's National Plan to End Homelessness aims to halve long-term rough sleeping by the end of the current parliamentary term.