In our news report this week, Closer visited a homeless shelter to investigate the harrowing stories behind these statistics.
Siobhan Sheridan, 42, is one of the volunteers, who works for Crisis during December, helping those affected by homelessness.
This is her story.
Siobhan freely admits her Christmases used to be a stream of indulgence – from lavish presents to a huge Christmas lunch.
But then four years ago, she decided to volunteer to help the homeless for the first time.
“It had always been in the back of my mind,” says Siobhan, who lives in London and works in HR.
“I come from a big family back in Ireland and various uncles had been homeless – I’d like to think people took care of them and I wanted to do the same. And then four years ago, during the usual squabble about when and how we should visit family, I said I was going to volunteer – and I did it.”
It’s a decision that Siobhan is so glad she made.
“That first year was astonishing in every way,” she says.
“I met a man, who’d served in the forces and since become homeless. This man had fought for me and ended up on the streets – I couldn’t believe it. Then last year I witnessed an extraordinary reunion between a father and son, they hadn’t seen each other for 15 years and by complete coincidence they walked into the same shelter. It was so moving we all started crying.
“But amongst the extraordinary stories, there are a lot of very ordinary people, who are there through circumstance, such as a relationship breaking down, moving for work or redundancy. I just felt ‘there but for the grace of god go I’.
“After that first time, my husband, Mark, 56, and two stepsons, Robin, 24, and Domininc, 20, all decided to volunteer too – so now that’s our Christmas. We no longer buy lavish presents, and our Christmas lunch is as likely to be a takeaway as anything else. And we don’t miss it at all.
“Last year I was chatting to a homeless man and he told me: ‘Christmas is the worst time. You wander the streets with no purpose looking through the windows of houses, at people having a lovely, family time. It’s like a different world to the one I’m in. As a homeless person, you’re walking with no purpose, you’re not part of society any more’.
“Those words haunt me.”
If you think you may be able to help those affected by homelessness, please visit: Crisis or Shelter From The Storm.