0:00:02 > 0:00:05I want to change your mind about what it means to be homeless.
0:00:05 > 0:00:09It's not just about down and outs and sleeping on the streets.
0:00:09 > 0:00:11Homelessness could happen to any of us.
0:00:11 > 0:00:14I'm Speech Debelle. I'm a rapper who won
0:00:14 > 0:00:16the Mercury Music Prize for my debut album.
0:00:16 > 0:00:20I was one of Britain's hidden homeless for three years.
0:00:23 > 0:00:25My self-esteem was pretty low.
0:00:25 > 0:00:28It was a low point in my life,
0:00:28 > 0:00:31and being on somebody's couch didn't make me feel any better.
0:00:31 > 0:00:36The hidden homeless are not recognised by the authorities.
0:00:36 > 0:00:38Many are young, single
0:00:38 > 0:00:41and sofa surfing, moving from place to place to avoid sleeping rough.
0:00:41 > 0:00:45They come from all walks of life and the numbers are rising.
0:00:45 > 0:00:49It just gets harder. Every couple of weeks, it just gets harder and harder.
0:00:50 > 0:00:52I'm going to meet some of Britain's sofa surfers,
0:00:52 > 0:00:55and find out what it's like to be homeless today.
0:00:57 > 0:01:00What happens with sofa surfing, is that you are a strain,
0:01:00 > 0:01:03regardless of who you're staying with,
0:01:03 > 0:01:06the relationship you have with them. You are a strain on their life.
0:01:06 > 0:01:08Just the phrase, "homeless",
0:01:08 > 0:01:11they think immediately you're poor, you're dirty.
0:01:11 > 0:01:14You're a scumbag, basically, and I'm not.
0:01:15 > 0:01:19What's the possibilities now of getting a job?
0:01:22 > 0:01:25I'm going to re-trace my own steps from sofas to hostels
0:01:25 > 0:01:28and compare it to how things are now.
0:01:28 > 0:01:31My memories of being in a hostel was, it's dark,
0:01:31 > 0:01:33it's restricting, it's stagnant.
0:01:33 > 0:01:36I also want to see what happens to people
0:01:36 > 0:01:38when the sofas run out.
0:01:38 > 0:01:41There are times when you might be somewhere and feel unwelcome.
0:01:41 > 0:01:43That can be quite difficult.
0:01:45 > 0:01:49This is exactly what it is like being homeless.
0:01:49 > 0:01:51This is my tent, or what's left of it.
0:01:54 > 0:01:57This is the story of Britain's Hidden Homeless.
0:02:06 > 0:02:09# Look, I'm slowly building up my savings every day
0:02:09 > 0:02:12# Although it's hard to save when you're gettin' no pay... #
0:02:12 > 0:02:14When I was 19, my family home became a place
0:02:14 > 0:02:16I no longer wanted to live.
0:02:16 > 0:02:18I got fed up arguing with my mum,,
0:02:18 > 0:02:21so I left, with nowhere stable to go.
0:02:21 > 0:02:24One of the first places I went to was here, Clapham,
0:02:24 > 0:02:26er...South London.
0:02:26 > 0:02:29Stayed with a friend, and basically, sofa surfing.
0:02:35 > 0:02:39For three years, I stayed on friends' sofas
0:02:39 > 0:02:40or moved from hostel to hostel.
0:02:40 > 0:02:42I experienced the stress, the stigma,
0:02:42 > 0:02:46and the fear of not having a permanent roof over my head.
0:02:47 > 0:02:51It's like having no foundation.
0:02:51 > 0:02:53It's like having no sort of stability.
0:02:53 > 0:02:56I didn't have anywhere I wanted to live.
0:02:57 > 0:02:59Nor anywhere that I wanted to be.
0:03:01 > 0:03:04In this film, I'm going to follow four young people over three months,
0:03:04 > 0:03:07to see what it's like to be homeless today.
0:03:07 > 0:03:10I also want to see if they can get a home by the end of it.
0:03:17 > 0:03:18Stephen became homeless
0:03:18 > 0:03:22after being chucked out by his stepdad.
0:03:22 > 0:03:23After losing his job,
0:03:23 > 0:03:25he sofa surfed for as long as he could.
0:03:25 > 0:03:27Then found himself sleeping on the streets,
0:03:27 > 0:03:29and in the parks.
0:03:29 > 0:03:32He's been spending the winter months in a night shelter.
0:03:32 > 0:03:35I always thought, like, I'd have a family by now,
0:03:35 > 0:03:37like I'd be in a serious relationship,
0:03:37 > 0:03:39I'd be on my feet,
0:03:39 > 0:03:43driving around with my own car and my own responsibilities.
0:03:43 > 0:03:46But, I've got nothing
0:03:46 > 0:03:49and I didn't see that for one second.
0:03:49 > 0:03:50And it is a great struggle.
0:03:52 > 0:03:56You don't have to be sleeping rough to be homeless, though.
0:04:01 > 0:04:02Nikita is staying temporarily
0:04:02 > 0:04:04on the sofa at her sister's.
0:04:04 > 0:04:06She's been in housing limbo for over a year,
0:04:06 > 0:04:10after her relationship with her mother broke down.
0:04:10 > 0:04:11There's my bed.
0:04:13 > 0:04:15That's about as great as it gets, really.
0:04:19 > 0:04:22While Nikita's determined to move on,
0:04:22 > 0:04:25the reality of her situation takes a toll on her self-esteem.
0:04:25 > 0:04:27Just the phrase, "homeless",
0:04:27 > 0:04:30it's the word is just like...
0:04:30 > 0:04:33Don't know, it just doesn't feel right.
0:04:33 > 0:04:36So I don't want to walk into somewhere and be like,
0:04:36 > 0:04:38"Yeah, I'm homeless, guys! Guess what?"
0:04:38 > 0:04:40It's not nice,
0:04:40 > 0:04:43it's not comfortable
0:04:43 > 0:04:46to know that people know that you're homeless.
0:04:46 > 0:04:48Because your first instinct of a homeless person is,
0:04:48 > 0:04:52sitting...on the streets, like,
0:04:52 > 0:04:55with a little cup, going, "Can I have some money?"
0:04:55 > 0:04:58or a little sign, saying, "Hungry, please feed," or whatever,
0:04:58 > 0:05:01but at the end of the day, mine's not like that.
0:05:01 > 0:05:03Mine's a completely different situation.
0:05:11 > 0:05:15Sam's got a degree but she's not got a stable home.
0:05:15 > 0:05:19She's been moving from place to place for the last six months.
0:05:20 > 0:05:23The experience of sofa surfing is difficult sometimes.
0:05:23 > 0:05:24I don't have much stuff with me,
0:05:24 > 0:05:28but trying to...pack... well, think about what you need
0:05:28 > 0:05:31for however long, you've really got to plan everything.
0:05:31 > 0:05:34I have to have to know when I need to be here, when I need to be there,
0:05:34 > 0:05:37what I need with me and, um, yeah,
0:05:37 > 0:05:39it's not like I have a base to just go back to,
0:05:39 > 0:05:41and chill out and sort myself out.
0:05:44 > 0:05:46Jordan lives in Accrington,
0:05:46 > 0:05:48one of the poorest parts of Lancashire.
0:05:48 > 0:05:51He left home after fighting with his dad.
0:05:51 > 0:05:53Job opportunities are scarce,
0:05:53 > 0:05:56and he doesn't always get lucky finding a place to stay.
0:05:56 > 0:05:58No, I was going to go walk to me mate's house,
0:05:58 > 0:06:00see if I'll stay there tonight, so.
0:06:00 > 0:06:03I don't call it sleeping rough,
0:06:03 > 0:06:05I call it, like, walking rough,
0:06:05 > 0:06:08because at night, I don't tend to sleep at night, I just walk around,
0:06:08 > 0:06:09find it easier just walking.
0:06:09 > 0:06:12TRAIN RUMBLES
0:06:15 > 0:06:18Like many young homeless people,
0:06:18 > 0:06:20I also left home because of family problems.
0:06:26 > 0:06:29I went to one school on that side of the park,
0:06:29 > 0:06:32and another school on the other side of the park.
0:06:32 > 0:06:34I used to ride my bike in here.
0:06:37 > 0:06:41I'd always found myself in trouble,
0:06:41 > 0:06:44like in school and stuff.
0:06:44 > 0:06:47I never seemed to be able to just settle myself
0:06:47 > 0:06:50and just focus, and, um...
0:06:50 > 0:06:55I think it must have been difficult for my mum to have to hear
0:06:55 > 0:06:57that I'm causing trouble, do you know what I mean?
0:06:57 > 0:07:02My mum lost her patience with my rebellious behaviour
0:07:02 > 0:07:04and I refused to play by her rules.
0:07:05 > 0:07:08It can make for a bit of a turbulent relationship,
0:07:08 > 0:07:12and just arguments. Lot of arguments.
0:07:12 > 0:07:17So when I was about 18, I was like, "I'm out, I'm out."
0:07:17 > 0:07:19She was like, "Peace. Go then."
0:07:19 > 0:07:21Do you know what I mean, because...
0:07:21 > 0:07:24Now when I look back, she was like, "Oh, you think,
0:07:24 > 0:07:26"if you think it's all right out there, go ahead."
0:07:26 > 0:07:29You know, she was probably like, "I'll see you soon."
0:07:29 > 0:07:32This was the beginning of a dark period of time for me.
0:07:32 > 0:07:35I felt rootless, lost and depressed.
0:07:35 > 0:07:37SIREN WAILS
0:07:41 > 0:07:45Officially, 17,000 young people were classed as homeless last year.
0:07:45 > 0:07:47But charities think the number of hidden homeless
0:07:47 > 0:07:50is three times as high.
0:07:50 > 0:07:52And councils are struggling to cope.
0:08:02 > 0:08:05# Penniless and tired
0:08:05 > 0:08:08# Let your hair grow long... #
0:08:08 > 0:08:11Stephen was thrown out of his home at 16.
0:08:11 > 0:08:14Me and my stepfather never got on since day one.
0:08:14 > 0:08:18It was always competition for my mum's affection.
0:08:18 > 0:08:22Things went from bad to worse, we was always fisticuff fighting,
0:08:22 > 0:08:25and we had, um, a really big row
0:08:25 > 0:08:29and, um, obviously I was asked to leave.
0:08:29 > 0:08:31He managed to find a job as a roofer,
0:08:31 > 0:08:35but got a dangerous ear infection and had to stop work.
0:08:35 > 0:08:38- Cheers, mate.- You're welcome. - Thank you.
0:08:38 > 0:08:41I went and stayed with, um, a couple of my cousin's places
0:08:41 > 0:08:43for a couple of weeks, here and there.
0:08:43 > 0:08:45You exhaust those avenues very quickly,
0:08:45 > 0:08:49people can't look after you as much as they want to.
0:08:49 > 0:08:51After running out of friends' sofas to stay on,
0:08:51 > 0:08:54Stephen's only option was the street.
0:08:54 > 0:08:57At the moment, he's staying in a night shelter
0:08:57 > 0:08:59run by the church.
0:08:59 > 0:09:02His ear infection now needs surgery.
0:09:02 > 0:09:04Trying to sleep in a room full of, like, ten to 15 people,
0:09:04 > 0:09:07um, all fully-grown men,
0:09:07 > 0:09:10who are smelling and they're, like,
0:09:10 > 0:09:13could be alcoholics or drug users.
0:09:13 > 0:09:17It is really, really stressful and hard to deal with.
0:09:17 > 0:09:21# There's nothing
0:09:21 > 0:09:23# I can say... #
0:09:23 > 0:09:26The number of rough sleepers in the UK
0:09:26 > 0:09:29has gone up by more than a fifth in the past year
0:09:29 > 0:09:31and is still rising.
0:09:31 > 0:09:33Churches in the Kingston area
0:09:33 > 0:09:35take it in turns to provide a place to sleep,
0:09:35 > 0:09:37and hot breakfast for the homeless.
0:09:39 > 0:09:41I've been in this situation now quite a long time,
0:09:41 > 0:09:45so it's like really getting on top.
0:09:45 > 0:09:49Obviously, you have these thoughts -
0:09:49 > 0:09:53would it be easier just to...end it?
0:09:53 > 0:09:55I don't know. It's like, obviously
0:09:55 > 0:09:58you never see yourself becoming homeless
0:09:58 > 0:10:02and I don't wish it upon anyone, but...
0:10:03 > 0:10:06Problem is, funding doesn't allow them to stay open all year
0:10:06 > 0:10:10so the night shelters are due to close in the next few weeks.
0:10:10 > 0:10:12It means the pressure is on for Stephen to find a bed
0:10:12 > 0:10:15if he's going to avoid sleeping rough in the cold.
0:10:15 > 0:10:18MUSIC: "Live For The Message" by Speech Debelle
0:10:18 > 0:10:20# It's all about wisdom More precise with the aim
0:10:20 > 0:10:23# Finger on the trigger The metaphor is strength
0:10:23 > 0:10:24# I keep a watchful eye... #
0:10:24 > 0:10:27I want to find out what it's like for Stephen
0:10:27 > 0:10:30and what his prospects are after being in this situation for so long.
0:10:30 > 0:10:33- Hello.- Hey, Speech, how you doing?
0:10:33 > 0:10:35- Stephen, yeah?- Yeah. Nice to meet you.
0:10:35 > 0:10:36Cool, nice to meet you.
0:10:36 > 0:10:40- Oh, you've got one of them, I want one of them.- Wicked.
0:10:40 > 0:10:44'If Stephen can't get into emergency housing in the next two weeks,
0:10:44 > 0:10:47'his best option is going to be this place.'
0:10:47 > 0:10:48Where are we at?
0:10:48 > 0:10:51This is Bushy Park in Teddington.
0:10:51 > 0:10:53So was you supposed to be in here?
0:10:53 > 0:10:58No, no, if I got found by the parks police or the rangers
0:10:58 > 0:11:03I would have probably got done for trespassing, to be honest, but...
0:11:03 > 0:11:05- Do they lock it up at night? - Yeah, they do.
0:11:05 > 0:11:07Quite a safe place to be, to be honest,
0:11:07 > 0:11:10but when you're picking your spot to sleep,
0:11:10 > 0:11:14you've got to, like take a few things into account.
0:11:14 > 0:11:18Right, so you're on some Ray Mears type of thing, yeah?
0:11:18 > 0:11:19No, not that, it's just,
0:11:19 > 0:11:22you've got to kind of keep yourself away from people
0:11:22 > 0:11:25because as soon as someone catches you there, that's it,
0:11:25 > 0:11:28like, that's your spot ruined.
0:11:28 > 0:11:31Do you like being in here, under the circumstances?
0:11:31 > 0:11:36Yeah. It's probably the best place you could be if you're homeless,
0:11:36 > 0:11:39like, it's either this or being in a shop door
0:11:39 > 0:11:41and to be honest, I prefer this.
0:11:41 > 0:11:43But obviously at night,
0:11:43 > 0:11:45when you've got time to yourself,
0:11:45 > 0:11:48that's when it gets, like, it hits home and...
0:11:48 > 0:11:50I know you're in the night shelter now.
0:11:50 > 0:11:52When does that open?
0:11:52 > 0:11:55That opened on the 3rd of December
0:11:55 > 0:11:57and finishes in a couple of weeks.
0:11:57 > 0:12:00But November's cold.
0:12:00 > 0:12:04Yeah, yeah, it was really, really cold,
0:12:04 > 0:12:07there was a few times I woke up and there was frost over the grass.
0:12:07 > 0:12:11Normal temperature they give on weather reports is at head height.
0:12:11 > 0:12:13It's a lot colder at the floor.
0:12:13 > 0:12:15- Right.- And so...
0:12:15 > 0:12:18So what do you have to do, put on loads of clothes?
0:12:18 > 0:12:21Yeah, like, normally two or three pairs of trousers
0:12:21 > 0:12:25- or a couple pairs of tracky bottoms. - Where do you keep your clothes?
0:12:25 > 0:12:27They're stashed up here, there and everywhere,
0:12:27 > 0:12:30bin bags and bushes. You can't have everything in one place
0:12:30 > 0:12:35because what if it gets found? That's it, it's all gone,
0:12:35 > 0:12:39and it's taken me a long time to, like, gain my clothes back.
0:12:39 > 0:12:43What's the possibilities now of getting a job?
0:12:43 > 0:12:45Well, until I have this operation
0:12:45 > 0:12:47because I've got a really bad ear infection
0:12:47 > 0:12:51and it needs quite a serious operation doing on it.
0:12:51 > 0:12:54'Stephen thinks the operation will sort his life out
0:12:54 > 0:12:56'but doctors feel it's too risky to operate
0:12:56 > 0:12:58'until he has a proper place to recover.'
0:12:58 > 0:13:01Like, I've had this infection for quite a while now
0:13:01 > 0:13:03and it's the reason I'm not working
0:13:03 > 0:13:05and it's basically the reason I've become homeless.
0:13:08 > 0:13:11MUSIC: "Society" by Eddie Vedder
0:13:11 > 0:13:15I never had a conversation with somebody who...
0:13:15 > 0:13:18whose living is that extreme.
0:13:18 > 0:13:23And all I was just thinking is just, man, it's just so cold
0:13:23 > 0:13:25and cold and lonely
0:13:25 > 0:13:27and unhealthy.
0:13:27 > 0:13:29# Society
0:13:29 > 0:13:32# You're a crazy breed
0:13:33 > 0:13:35# I hope you're not lonely
0:13:35 > 0:13:37# Without me. #
0:13:39 > 0:13:41You know, the fact that this is Britain
0:13:41 > 0:13:43and he's 25
0:13:43 > 0:13:46and he's living in these conditions,
0:13:46 > 0:13:47he's one of the people
0:13:47 > 0:13:51that probably just seem to get ignored, more than likely.
0:13:51 > 0:13:54He doesn't exist in...
0:13:54 > 0:13:56in "normal" society
0:13:56 > 0:13:58so it's easy for him to be forgotten about.
0:13:58 > 0:14:00Stephen's experience proves
0:14:00 > 0:14:04that sofa-surfing is only a step away from being on the streets.
0:14:06 > 0:14:08MUSIC: "Every Time You Go" by Ellie Goulding
0:14:08 > 0:14:11- # Every time you go - Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
0:14:11 > 0:14:12# Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
0:14:12 > 0:14:14- # Every time you go - Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
0:14:14 > 0:14:16# Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
0:14:16 > 0:14:18# It starts with a picture
0:14:18 > 0:14:21# It sits in your frame... #
0:14:21 > 0:14:24Although Nikita's not at risk of sleeping rough just yet,
0:14:24 > 0:14:27staying on her sister's sofa is affecting her health
0:14:27 > 0:14:30and right now, her sister's nursing a baby.
0:14:30 > 0:14:32I'll most probably wake up at about two
0:14:32 > 0:14:36just cos it's so uncomfortable. You can't move around.
0:14:36 > 0:14:37And then in the morning, the baby,
0:14:37 > 0:14:39she wakes up for her bottle.
0:14:41 > 0:14:43You can't sleep, so you don't sleep
0:14:43 > 0:14:47so you're tired, so your immune system's down
0:14:47 > 0:14:50so you start getting more colds and things like that,
0:14:50 > 0:14:53which makes you aggravated, stressed, depressed.
0:14:53 > 0:14:58Like, everything kind of snowballs into you sitting there, going,
0:14:58 > 0:15:00"I don't know what to do. Help me."
0:15:06 > 0:15:09So how does someone like Nikita end up in this situation?
0:15:09 > 0:15:13I left home when I was 16, the day after my GCSEs finished.
0:15:13 > 0:15:16My dad died before I was born
0:15:16 > 0:15:19and my mum, she's a recovering alcoholic.
0:15:19 > 0:15:24Because I lived in her life for 13 years of her drinking,
0:15:24 > 0:15:25our relationship was never built.
0:15:25 > 0:15:28We never had time to build a relationship.
0:15:28 > 0:15:32The arguments we were having were getting out of control
0:15:32 > 0:15:35and they were turning into fights,
0:15:35 > 0:15:37more often than not, proper fights,
0:15:37 > 0:15:41and I just took myself out of the situation.
0:15:41 > 0:15:44At 16, I thought, "I'm allowed to leave home now."
0:15:48 > 0:15:53Nikita moved in with her boyfriend, who persuaded her to leave college.
0:15:53 > 0:15:55But that relationship turned nasty
0:15:55 > 0:15:58and she found herself with nowhere to go.
0:15:58 > 0:16:02MUSIC: "Reggae All Night" by CSS
0:16:05 > 0:16:09I want to find out what Nikita's options are.
0:16:09 > 0:16:14# If you want a friend we can drink in the afternoon
0:16:14 > 0:16:15# That's cool... #
0:16:15 > 0:16:18Feels like you're sort of just at someone else's house,
0:16:18 > 0:16:22especially when, like, her boyfriend's round or whatever,
0:16:22 > 0:16:24you feel like the third person in the party.
0:16:24 > 0:16:26They want to chill out and have a night on the sofa,
0:16:26 > 0:16:29watching a film and that, and that's my bedroom.
0:16:29 > 0:16:31Yeah, if they want to have a little Saturday night?
0:16:31 > 0:16:35So what if you want to bring someone special...?
0:16:35 > 0:16:36- Nah.- No?
0:16:37 > 0:16:39It can't happen.
0:16:39 > 0:16:42Mainly cos of my niece, do you know what I mean?
0:16:42 > 0:16:44If she walks in, she'll be like, "Who's that?"
0:16:44 > 0:16:47Right, so what is it you need?
0:16:47 > 0:16:50I need somewhere that I can work from, I need a base.
0:16:50 > 0:16:52It seems like, I'm noticing
0:16:52 > 0:16:55you have to be in a worse position to get help.
0:16:55 > 0:16:58If you're in a sort of middle position...
0:16:58 > 0:17:00Yeah, you're stuck.
0:17:00 > 0:17:04You're, like, that close to the breadline
0:17:04 > 0:17:07but if you're not actually on it, technically speaking,
0:17:07 > 0:17:09then there's no help available.
0:17:16 > 0:17:19This is the main problem for sofa surfers.
0:17:19 > 0:17:21No-one sees them as a priority.
0:17:22 > 0:17:24Many councils have admitted
0:17:24 > 0:17:26they're running out of room for young people.
0:17:26 > 0:17:30They're only obliged to help with accommodation if you're under 18,
0:17:30 > 0:17:32leaving care, or have a baby.
0:17:32 > 0:17:35Everyone else is in danger of slipping through the net.
0:17:35 > 0:17:38Nikita can't stay at her sister's forever
0:17:38 > 0:17:40so if she doesn't get the help she needs,
0:17:40 > 0:17:43I'm worried about where she might end up.
0:17:45 > 0:17:49Since leaving university, Sam's found it hard to get a job.
0:17:50 > 0:17:51And she's not alone.
0:17:51 > 0:17:54One in five graduates still don't have permanent work
0:17:54 > 0:17:57up to two years after getting a degree.
0:18:05 > 0:18:09But Sam has no family home to go back to.
0:18:09 > 0:18:12Her mum lost her job and had to downsize
0:18:12 > 0:18:16so Sam went to stay in a caravan until winter set in.
0:18:16 > 0:18:20The conditions were quite horrible, it was damp and wet
0:18:20 > 0:18:22and a bit smelly.
0:18:22 > 0:18:27Um, so I decided then that I didn't really want to stay there.
0:18:27 > 0:18:32She went sofa-surfing in London, hoping for more job opportunities.
0:18:37 > 0:18:40Tonight, she's staying on her mum's sofa in Essex.
0:18:40 > 0:18:42It's just a tiny one-bedroom flat
0:18:42 > 0:18:45so there's no room for her to live there.
0:18:45 > 0:18:47When I come over,
0:18:47 > 0:18:50this is my little space for sleeping.
0:18:50 > 0:18:54It looks very small but it's quite comfortable.
0:18:54 > 0:18:57If I was to stay here all the time, I think I would get, you know,
0:18:57 > 0:19:00a bit sort of depressed after a little while, I guess.
0:19:00 > 0:19:04Most of the time, Sam finds friends to stay with
0:19:04 > 0:19:07while she looks for a job and somewhere more stable to live.
0:19:07 > 0:19:10There are times when you might be somewhere and might feel unwelcome.
0:19:10 > 0:19:14That can be difficult. It makes you feel low. If you feel unwelcome
0:19:14 > 0:19:16you think, "Where else can I go?"
0:19:16 > 0:19:18And then you have to try and work something out.
0:19:24 > 0:19:28Sam's mum is claiming housing benefit after losing her job
0:19:28 > 0:19:31so she's not allowed to have anyone stay long-term.
0:19:31 > 0:19:35I know it's hard for you, cos you would help if you could,
0:19:35 > 0:19:36if you were in a position to help
0:19:36 > 0:19:40and I don't want you to feel guilty or upset that you can't
0:19:40 > 0:19:43because you're not in a position to be able to help.
0:19:43 > 0:19:45No, I don't feel guilty, I feel frustrated.
0:19:45 > 0:19:48But you're always welcome here for your dinners
0:19:48 > 0:19:50and to get warm and showered
0:19:50 > 0:19:52- and washing. Have you brought me any washing?- Yeah.
0:19:52 > 0:19:54I thought you would.
0:19:55 > 0:19:57You and your awful memory pillow.
0:19:57 > 0:19:59I love my memory foam pillows. Leave them alone.
0:19:59 > 0:20:01You don't have too sleep with it.
0:20:01 > 0:20:05You want to take the cushions off? Put them out of the way.
0:20:05 > 0:20:09Sam often goes to bed not knowing where she'll sleep the next night.
0:20:09 > 0:20:13She's desperate to change her situation before it gets any worse.
0:20:18 > 0:20:22- See you later.- Bye.
0:20:22 > 0:20:25Despite hoping for a job related to her degree in commercial music,
0:20:25 > 0:20:29Sam's decided to cast the net wider and go for any job she can get.
0:20:32 > 0:20:34The manager's here, uh...
0:20:34 > 0:20:36tomorrow's Friday.
0:20:44 > 0:20:47Instead of being able to go home and chill
0:20:47 > 0:20:49after a day of job hunting,
0:20:49 > 0:20:51Sam remains a visitor wherever she goes.
0:20:51 > 0:20:54- Hello.- Hello. You all right?
0:20:54 > 0:20:59Tonight she's staying with her friend Issy in West London.
0:20:59 > 0:21:01I don't like to stay anywhere for too long
0:21:01 > 0:21:03because I don't... I don't know,
0:21:03 > 0:21:07I get a bit paranoid and I don't want to get in anyone's way
0:21:07 > 0:21:10or sort of...I don't know, put anyone out.
0:21:10 > 0:21:13And also, I guess, where I feel I'm more welcome,
0:21:13 > 0:21:15I feel really welcome here,
0:21:15 > 0:21:18I feel really welcome at my mum's and my friends'.
0:21:18 > 0:21:20But after a little while, you sort of think,
0:21:20 > 0:21:23"Maybe I should move on now, go somewhere else."
0:21:27 > 0:21:31I would have thought, with a degree, things would be easier for Sam.
0:21:31 > 0:21:33I want to find out why she's finding life so hard.
0:21:33 > 0:21:35- Hello.- Hello, how you doing?
0:21:35 > 0:21:37Nice to meet you. I'm Sam.
0:21:37 > 0:21:38You too. I'm Speech.
0:21:38 > 0:21:40So, what do you do for money?
0:21:40 > 0:21:42Um, well, I'm signing on.
0:21:42 > 0:21:43OK, is that JSA?
0:21:43 > 0:21:45Yeah, Jobseekers' Allowance.
0:21:45 > 0:21:47I'm signing up to all these things
0:21:47 > 0:21:49where I'm trying to get put into hostels
0:21:49 > 0:21:53and if I wasn't on JSA, I wouldn't be entitled to some of them
0:21:53 > 0:21:54so it's like, what do you do?
0:21:54 > 0:21:57People expect more from graduates these days.
0:21:57 > 0:22:00It's not just a degree any more, it's experience.
0:22:00 > 0:22:02What about getting a minimum-wage job
0:22:02 > 0:22:04for a couple of months, six months?
0:22:04 > 0:22:07I would do it, you know, if something good came up
0:22:07 > 0:22:10but it's confusing. What do I do? Do I wait for somewhere to stay first,
0:22:10 > 0:22:12somewhere to live? Do I get a job?
0:22:19 > 0:22:21Sam's situation highlights the problem
0:22:21 > 0:22:24that some people think they're better off on benefits
0:22:24 > 0:22:26than working a minimum-wage job.
0:22:26 > 0:22:29Well, the thing with Sam is that
0:22:29 > 0:22:32she doesn't know whether to get a house or to try and get a job
0:22:32 > 0:22:35and the problem is, if she does get a job,
0:22:35 > 0:22:37then she won't be eligible for housing benefit,
0:22:37 > 0:22:41which means that she's going to have difficulty paying for full rent.
0:22:41 > 0:22:44It's not something that should be happening to a graduate.
0:22:44 > 0:22:46She should be out here, you know,
0:22:46 > 0:22:49sharing her knowledge and her energy with the world
0:22:49 > 0:22:51and trying to make it a better place
0:22:51 > 0:22:54but she's having to concentrate on having somewhere to live.
0:22:54 > 0:22:58MUSIC: "The City" by Ed Sheeran
0:22:59 > 0:23:01If it's difficult for Sam,
0:23:01 > 0:23:05it's got to be much harder for someone like Jordan.
0:23:05 > 0:23:07He's got no qualifications
0:23:07 > 0:23:10and he's stuck in a town with few opportunities.
0:23:10 > 0:23:13Not much happens in Accrington.
0:23:13 > 0:23:17I heard a couple of days ago that the Queen's supposed to be coming.
0:23:17 > 0:23:19If I see her, I'll run over and say,
0:23:19 > 0:23:21"Give us an house, give us an house!"
0:23:21 > 0:23:24If she says no, I'll say, "Please!" She'll still say no, I bet.
0:23:24 > 0:23:29# The pavement is my friend
0:23:29 > 0:23:32# It'll take me where I need to go. #
0:23:32 > 0:23:34Jordan's got a girlfriend who's also homeless.
0:23:34 > 0:23:37I met her the day after her 16th birthday.
0:23:37 > 0:23:40And then, I didn't even know her age, really.
0:23:40 > 0:23:42We just started talking and all that lot.
0:23:42 > 0:23:44Before I met her, I was a bit of a player.
0:23:44 > 0:23:46A bit, like, if I see a girl I like,
0:23:46 > 0:23:49you know, I'd go over and start chatting her up and that.
0:23:49 > 0:23:50But Claire, it took ages,
0:23:50 > 0:23:53like a month before we started proper seeing each other
0:23:53 > 0:23:56and we've been together for about 11 month now.
0:23:56 > 0:23:59As she's under 18, Claire is a priority
0:23:59 > 0:24:03and was recently provided with supported housing by the council.
0:24:03 > 0:24:07Walking this way, you can almost see Claire's house.
0:24:07 > 0:24:10That big light over there, that's the shop.
0:24:10 > 0:24:12Just a little bit right of it should be the house.
0:24:12 > 0:24:14If there's lights on, yay.
0:24:16 > 0:24:18If not...no.
0:24:18 > 0:24:21Claire's guardians don't allow her to have people to stay
0:24:21 > 0:24:25so Jordan can only ever drop in for a visit.
0:24:25 > 0:24:28Just makes you feel, not depressed, but not happy
0:24:28 > 0:24:31that I'm with my girlfriend, but I can't stay with her.
0:24:31 > 0:24:34No, she's not in at the moment,
0:24:34 > 0:24:36not in.
0:24:37 > 0:24:40I wouldn't call it a wasted journey, though.
0:24:40 > 0:24:43At least I know she's not in.
0:24:43 > 0:24:44Aw.
0:24:47 > 0:24:51MUSIC: "Everything You Wanted" by Kele
0:24:53 > 0:24:56Jordan got to the point where leaving his family home
0:24:56 > 0:24:57was his only option.
0:24:57 > 0:24:59After losing his mum,
0:24:59 > 0:25:02staying with his dad became more and more difficult.
0:25:02 > 0:25:06'Me and me dad argued a lot, a very lot. And we just...'
0:25:06 > 0:25:08It just didn't feel right being in the same room as him,
0:25:08 > 0:25:11thinking he's going to jump up, he'll start shouting at me
0:25:11 > 0:25:15or he's going to swear at me or he's going to try and hit me,
0:25:15 > 0:25:16I'm going to try and hit him.
0:25:16 > 0:25:19So we were just fighting, shouting at each other.
0:25:19 > 0:25:21We get on, but not too long.
0:25:21 > 0:25:24He just said, "You're going to have to go."
0:25:24 > 0:25:27I went, "I'm going already." Packed me stuff and went, straightaway.
0:25:27 > 0:25:30# I see the bags in the empty hallway
0:25:30 > 0:25:33# I can tell that something has changed... #
0:25:33 > 0:25:36Jordan spends a lot of his time at this place,
0:25:36 > 0:25:38a charity day centre called Maundy Relief.
0:25:38 > 0:25:42Unlike the council, they help anyone who needs food or shelter.
0:25:42 > 0:25:44You all right, Jordan?
0:25:44 > 0:25:46- Hello.- Would you like a brew?
0:25:46 > 0:25:47Yeah, actually.
0:25:47 > 0:25:48I'll just get you a brew.
0:25:48 > 0:25:51- There you are, mate. - Ah, thanks a lot.
0:25:51 > 0:25:54Jordan's charity worker Carl is trying his best to help him
0:25:54 > 0:25:57but Jordan doesn't seem to know what he wants.
0:25:58 > 0:26:01Do you want to take your hood down so I can see you?
0:26:01 > 0:26:04Ah, go on, then, Carl. Cos I know you.
0:26:04 > 0:26:07- Do you know you've sort of been in all the places...- Yeah.
0:26:07 > 0:26:10..that we've given you, the Salvation Army...
0:26:10 > 0:26:12- Yeah.- Cross Roads...
0:26:12 > 0:26:13I lived there for a year.
0:26:13 > 0:26:16We sort of can't pin you down, really.
0:26:16 > 0:26:19How long have you actually been sofa-surfing and been on the street?
0:26:19 > 0:26:21Nearly three year.
0:26:21 > 0:26:24- Three years. How old are you now?- 20.
0:26:24 > 0:26:2620, so from the age of 17,
0:26:26 > 0:26:30your life's been sort of unstable, hasn't it, and rough?
0:26:30 > 0:26:33You know, I'd like to get you in supported accommodation
0:26:33 > 0:26:37and I wouldn't have a problem in doing that, you know,
0:26:37 > 0:26:40and I could get you in accommodation
0:26:40 > 0:26:43where there's a nice roof over your head, where it's clean,
0:26:43 > 0:26:45where you get food, where you get support,
0:26:45 > 0:26:47but only you can make that decision.
0:26:47 > 0:26:50- I know.- I can't force it upon you.
0:26:50 > 0:26:52I don't like staying in the same place for too long.
0:26:52 > 0:26:55- I get jittery and stuff. - Yeah, which I understand.
0:26:55 > 0:27:00'His options are running really, really low now, you know,
0:27:00 > 0:27:03'because at the moment, he just leads such a chaotic life'
0:27:03 > 0:27:07and I cannot, you know,
0:27:07 > 0:27:09sort of pin him down.
0:27:09 > 0:27:11It's pretty frustrating, really,
0:27:11 > 0:27:14cos he's such a nice, likeable guy.
0:27:15 > 0:27:16See you later.
0:27:16 > 0:27:20I worry that Jordan is getting too used to life on the move.
0:27:20 > 0:27:22Until he finds a stable home,
0:27:22 > 0:27:26his chances of a better life remain at zero.
0:27:26 > 0:27:29It's hard for young people who don't have a home to go back to,
0:27:29 > 0:27:31and growing up without parental guidance
0:27:31 > 0:27:34can leave you feeling lost.
0:27:37 > 0:27:39Although my situation was different,
0:27:39 > 0:27:43I remember growing tired of feeling rootless, on sofas and in hostels.
0:27:43 > 0:27:46I kind of had to move around different hostels.
0:27:46 > 0:27:48Space was becoming scarce.
0:27:48 > 0:27:50And that was, like, ten years ago.
0:27:50 > 0:27:53One of the hostels I went in, it was a women's-only hostel
0:27:53 > 0:27:57and it was mainly for women that had been...
0:27:57 > 0:28:00had some form of abuse, physical, emotional,
0:28:00 > 0:28:02and I remember seeing that and thinking,
0:28:02 > 0:28:06"This is not the life I want to...
0:28:06 > 0:28:07"bear witness to."
0:28:09 > 0:28:12And so after about three years,
0:28:12 > 0:28:13I went back home.
0:28:21 > 0:28:23We're at my house, where I grew up.
0:28:23 > 0:28:26Um, 18 years...
0:28:26 > 0:28:28uh, in Gypsy Hill.
0:28:28 > 0:28:30It's my little road.
0:28:32 > 0:28:36I think if I couldn't have gone back home,
0:28:36 > 0:28:39I would have continued to feel lost.
0:28:39 > 0:28:41Not having a home,
0:28:41 > 0:28:44it does have a very strong effect on...
0:28:46 > 0:28:49..your stability in life.
0:28:49 > 0:28:52I needed to have a base, I needed to have a place that was my home,
0:28:52 > 0:28:56that I felt safe and secure and... and loved.
0:28:57 > 0:29:01I know for a fact that I was in hostels with people that,
0:29:01 > 0:29:04going back home wasn't an option, and I heard stories about why
0:29:04 > 0:29:07and I know it wasn't an option, do you know what I mean?
0:29:07 > 0:29:09So I think...
0:29:10 > 0:29:16..it...it saved me, I think.
0:29:16 > 0:29:20MUSIC: "Change" by Daniel Merriweather
0:29:21 > 0:29:25So far, I've learnt that the hidden homeless clearly aren't a priority.
0:29:25 > 0:29:28Local authorities don't have the resources to house everyone.
0:29:28 > 0:29:33What I want to know is, what can our sofa-surfers do to get more help?
0:29:35 > 0:29:38# I saw a dried-up river
0:29:38 > 0:29:41# And a rich man turning on a garden hose... #
0:29:41 > 0:29:42Having still not found a job,
0:29:42 > 0:29:45Samantha wants to find a room on housing benefit.
0:29:45 > 0:29:49She's heard about a scheme called Homelink, run by the Quakers.
0:29:49 > 0:29:54- They can act as a guarantor for jobseekers looking to rent. - We work with private landlords.
0:29:54 > 0:29:58They're never really keen on people on housing benefit and all that.
0:29:58 > 0:30:00- Yeah, sure.- They want some sort of assurance
0:30:00 > 0:30:02so part of what we do is take a housing history.
0:30:02 > 0:30:05We take a bit of financial history as well,
0:30:05 > 0:30:07- so they are reassured.- Yep.
0:30:07 > 0:30:12# Some people do it all for money and some do it all for the love... #
0:30:12 > 0:30:14We expect people to go and look for themselves.
0:30:14 > 0:30:16I mean, we always look as well.
0:30:16 > 0:30:20# Nobody's going to wake up and start asking whose in charge,
0:30:20 > 0:30:25# Ain't nothing going to change Ain't nothing going to change. #
0:30:25 > 0:30:28Private rents have doubled in the last two years.
0:30:28 > 0:30:32The average price for a room in London is now £650 a month.
0:30:35 > 0:30:37Recent cuts to housing benefit,
0:30:37 > 0:30:41means more and more people are competing for the cheapest rooms.
0:30:41 > 0:30:45In London, every room for rent has five people chasing it.
0:30:45 > 0:30:48One council in Essex is running a pilot scheme,
0:30:48 > 0:30:51to try and increase the number of rooms available.
0:30:51 > 0:30:54Lots of people are not buying accommodation, they're not buying their own home.
0:30:54 > 0:30:56They're waiting to get a decent mortgage.
0:30:56 > 0:30:59So, what we found is that more and more people are wanting to rent,
0:30:59 > 0:31:03so, local landlords are having the pick of tenants.
0:31:03 > 0:31:06What the council is looking to do is offering benefits,
0:31:06 > 0:31:11and there's cash incentives, to increase the supply of accommodation,
0:31:11 > 0:31:13in order to help people like yourself find a home.
0:31:13 > 0:31:16I think it's really important that people know this,
0:31:16 > 0:31:20cos it's taken me almost a year to find something I'm eligible for.
0:31:20 > 0:31:22It is a pilot, because as I said,
0:31:22 > 0:31:26clearly the demand for this service will be far, far greater
0:31:26 > 0:31:29than, um, initially the supply.
0:31:29 > 0:31:31- Take care, thank you.- Bye.- Bye.
0:31:35 > 0:31:36It's a long wait, isn't it?
0:31:36 > 0:31:39I think it's going to be a very long wait till I find somewhere.
0:31:39 > 0:31:43# Didn't you know I was waiting on you...#
0:31:44 > 0:31:46Sam can't go on like this for ever.
0:31:46 > 0:31:50Her options for somewhere to stay could easily become exhausted
0:31:50 > 0:31:52before she can find anywhere of her own.
0:32:01 > 0:32:05As graduates like Sam increase the demand for affordable rooms,
0:32:05 > 0:32:08emergency housing once reserved for people like Stephen,
0:32:08 > 0:32:10is now also in short supply.
0:32:11 > 0:32:14# As the winter winds
0:32:14 > 0:32:17# Litter London with lonely hearts...#
0:32:17 > 0:32:20Stephen's got a tent concealed in Bushy Park,
0:32:20 > 0:32:23which he goes to to check on every day.
0:32:23 > 0:32:26He's now just got two weeks left to arrange accommodation.
0:32:26 > 0:32:29If he can't, he'll be back in his tent in the cold.
0:32:30 > 0:32:35Obviously, like, I try to set up my stuff, like,
0:32:35 > 0:32:38off the beaten track, so I'm not found.
0:32:38 > 0:32:40Cos there's been a couple of times
0:32:40 > 0:32:45where I've been found on the street in my sleeping bag, fully asleep,
0:32:45 > 0:32:49and people have decided it's a good idea to beat me up.
0:32:49 > 0:32:54So there's been a couple of occasions where I've woken up in hospital.
0:32:54 > 0:32:56So, yeah, I've learnt from that
0:32:56 > 0:33:00and the tent's been here for a good eight months now,
0:33:00 > 0:33:02um, no-one's found it.
0:33:06 > 0:33:10OK, my tent is basically just over here,
0:33:10 > 0:33:12you won't be able to see it from here
0:33:12 > 0:33:15cos I try and keep it as disguised as possible.
0:33:15 > 0:33:17But, um, I'd normally wait around here,
0:33:17 > 0:33:20just to make sure there's no people, like, overlooking,
0:33:20 > 0:33:24seeing what I'm doing. But I normally just jump over here.
0:33:32 > 0:33:35Yeah, the only noise you have to put up with here, the noise of the birds.
0:33:35 > 0:33:38It's lovely, to be honest, I like it here.
0:33:40 > 0:33:42But today, Stephen's in for a nasty shock.
0:33:42 > 0:33:46This is exactly what it is like, being homeless.
0:33:48 > 0:33:50This is my tent, or what's left of it.
0:33:52 > 0:33:55It's been, like, trashed,
0:33:55 > 0:33:57looks like kids have, um, got into it.
0:33:58 > 0:34:03But, um, if I take it up you can see exactly how long it's been there.
0:34:03 > 0:34:05Like, people don't understand.
0:34:05 > 0:34:09When they see, like, tents or sleeping bags,
0:34:09 > 0:34:12like, maybe a bin bag full of clothes, like, stashed up somewhere.
0:34:12 > 0:34:14Don't touch it, it's not yours.
0:34:14 > 0:34:17It's going to be someone who's a lot more worse off than you.
0:34:17 > 0:34:19What kind of people would do this?
0:34:19 > 0:34:23It's not like I'm causing anyone any trouble.
0:34:23 > 0:34:26Like, so I'm here out of everyone's way.
0:34:26 > 0:34:29So, leave me alone, like, my God.
0:34:35 > 0:34:37It's frozen solid.
0:34:40 > 0:34:41That's a T-shirt.
0:34:47 > 0:34:48That's ridiculous.
0:34:51 > 0:34:52Let that defrost.
0:34:52 > 0:34:55Like, you know, sometimes get low,
0:34:55 > 0:35:00but you're always able to build yourself up again, but...
0:35:00 > 0:35:02Yeah, this is...this is low.
0:35:02 > 0:35:06Like, I feel at the moment, seeing this now, it's...
0:35:06 > 0:35:07I'm on the edge of crying.
0:35:07 > 0:35:12# I don't remember the good times
0:35:12 > 0:35:17# I wasn't there and you were kind...#
0:35:17 > 0:35:19Without a tent to go back to,
0:35:19 > 0:35:22Stephen's on a mission to pursue every possible option
0:35:22 > 0:35:25for getting a roof over his head in the next two weeks.
0:35:25 > 0:35:29First, he's going to see a charity who work with the council
0:35:29 > 0:35:31to find temporary housing for rough sleepers.
0:35:32 > 0:35:35But after the recent cuts to homelessness projects,
0:35:35 > 0:35:39more than 2,000 beds have been lost across the UK in the past year.
0:35:39 > 0:35:44Although you've moved up the waiting list for the hostel, although you're number five,
0:35:44 > 0:35:45it's only a 14-bed hostel,
0:35:45 > 0:35:49and it could be a long time before a bed becomes available.
0:35:49 > 0:35:52With that in mind, we're looking at other options,
0:35:52 > 0:35:54and one of them is to move into a private flat.
0:35:54 > 0:35:59I believe I'm ready for a private rented or any sort of tenancy,
0:35:59 > 0:36:01if it's permanent or temporary.
0:36:01 > 0:36:05But it's just going to be better than where I'm going to end up
0:36:05 > 0:36:06if it wasn't there.
0:36:06 > 0:36:11# But I am older now... #
0:36:11 > 0:36:14Stephen's also talking to the council direct
0:36:14 > 0:36:17about his prospects for emergency accommodation.
0:36:17 > 0:36:19Do you want to explain how you've been since we saw you?
0:36:19 > 0:36:21Because you came to see us in October recently.
0:36:21 > 0:36:24My health is getting a lot worse since being on the street.
0:36:24 > 0:36:25What's been happening?
0:36:25 > 0:36:29Well, I've got a really bad ear infection which needs operating on,
0:36:29 > 0:36:33and I did make an application for emergency housing on health grounds,
0:36:33 > 0:36:35and that was refused.
0:36:35 > 0:36:38Um, I need to make another one, an application.
0:36:38 > 0:36:41If you feel that your health's deteriorated since we saw you last,
0:36:41 > 0:36:43and we made our last decision,
0:36:43 > 0:36:46then we would take the new information and look at it again.
0:36:46 > 0:36:50We'll get that assessed. When your accommodation at the hostel comes to an end,
0:36:50 > 0:36:53if you come in a couple of days beforehand
0:36:53 > 0:36:55we'll contact you, and we'll try and find
0:36:55 > 0:36:58some alternative emergency housing for you.
0:37:00 > 0:37:02There's two weeks left at the night shelter,
0:37:02 > 0:37:05and, um, I'm not expecting miracles.
0:37:05 > 0:37:08But it would be nice to come off the night shelter
0:37:08 > 0:37:11and into somewhere, but I don't think that's going to be the way.
0:37:11 > 0:37:15So, I'm really, really worried, and if I go back on the street,
0:37:15 > 0:37:17it's going to be the end of me.
0:37:22 > 0:37:25Stephen says he'd be happy with any roof over his head.
0:37:25 > 0:37:27But once again, availability is a problem.
0:37:29 > 0:37:31I remember it being much easier ten years ago.
0:37:31 > 0:37:33As soon as I got sick of sofa surfing,
0:37:33 > 0:37:36I got myself into this hostel in Victoria.
0:37:38 > 0:37:40I remember my room was, um...
0:37:40 > 0:37:43cos my window was facing over here.
0:37:43 > 0:37:46Man, it was like...
0:37:46 > 0:37:48one, two, three...
0:37:48 > 0:37:52I think it was like the fourth one, one of those ones along there.
0:37:52 > 0:37:56My memories of being in a hostel was of stark...it's restricting,
0:37:56 > 0:37:58it's stagnant.
0:37:58 > 0:37:59Everything's stagnant.
0:37:59 > 0:38:00The carpet looks stagnant,
0:38:00 > 0:38:03the water coming out of the tap looks like you shouldn't drink it.
0:38:03 > 0:38:06Do you know what I mean, it all just looks a bit stale.
0:38:07 > 0:38:09It was no good for my self-esteem.
0:38:09 > 0:38:12But this place did inspire one of the songs
0:38:12 > 0:38:13that would win me the Mercury Prize.
0:38:13 > 0:38:16I was lucky to have music as my escape.
0:38:16 > 0:38:18# 2am in my hostel bed
0:38:18 > 0:38:21# My eyes turn red My belly ain't fed
0:38:21 > 0:38:23# I got butter but I ain't got bread
0:38:23 > 0:38:25# And I'm smoking on my last cigarette
0:38:25 > 0:38:27# I ain't got creds I can't make calls
0:38:27 > 0:38:29# I got no papers I got no jewels
0:38:29 > 0:38:32# I got debts up to my eyeballs Who made these rules, catch 22
0:38:32 > 0:38:34# Christmas soon come and I got no funds
0:38:34 > 0:38:37# But what's Christmas if you ain't at mum's?
0:38:37 > 0:38:40# What am I supposed to do? Sit here and wait for the stupid JSA?
0:38:40 > 0:38:43# No blasted way, I'm a call G and get food on conceit
0:38:43 > 0:38:44# Or use my giro and buy a 16th
0:38:44 > 0:38:46# Know that's small time but I got to make p's
0:38:46 > 0:38:49# I'm so hungry, man I've just got to eat
0:38:49 > 0:38:51# And to a certain degree I'm intrigued... #
0:38:51 > 0:38:53Perhaps a hostel could be a temporary answer for Nikita,
0:38:53 > 0:38:56just to give her a space of her own.
0:38:56 > 0:38:57But she's just not sure.
0:38:59 > 0:39:03Basically, I applied for Salvation Army.
0:39:03 > 0:39:06I went in there and seen a load of other people that are homeless as well.
0:39:06 > 0:39:10What do you think would be the problems you would face being...?
0:39:10 > 0:39:12In there?
0:39:12 > 0:39:17Um, for me, for my upbringing and my background - alcohol,
0:39:17 > 0:39:19not personally for me,
0:39:19 > 0:39:22but for the people I've been around, alcohol's been like a big issue.
0:39:22 > 0:39:23Big problem.
0:39:23 > 0:39:27- And I don't feel comfortable, around people like that.- Yeah.
0:39:27 > 0:39:31Even if I'm going out on a night out and someone's, like, bladdered,
0:39:31 > 0:39:34to me it's like, whoa, I need to stay away from you.
0:39:34 > 0:39:37You're unstable you're a volatile person, like, no.
0:39:37 > 0:39:41And in a place like this, for a lot of people,
0:39:41 > 0:39:44like, if it's winter, it's cold, and you've got nowhere to sleep,
0:39:44 > 0:39:47- bottle of whisky, that'll warm you up.- Yeah.
0:39:47 > 0:39:49And for a lot of people that's the route that they chose,
0:39:49 > 0:39:54and I reckon a lot of people that are like that would end up here.
0:39:54 > 0:39:57And I'd walk into that situation,
0:39:57 > 0:39:59and it's just, for me, it's terrifying,
0:39:59 > 0:40:01it is a terrifying thought.
0:40:01 > 0:40:02It's a dead end.
0:40:02 > 0:40:04It's like, how am I going to get a job
0:40:04 > 0:40:07if I say I'm sleeping on the floor in the Salvation Army?
0:40:07 > 0:40:10I can't do that, I can't live like that.
0:40:20 > 0:40:23Although the Salvation Army helps many needy people,
0:40:23 > 0:40:25Nikita's found a different hostel
0:40:25 > 0:40:27which she thinks would suit her perfectly.
0:40:27 > 0:40:32The YMCA is a charity, part-funded by local authorities.
0:40:32 > 0:40:36They offer supported accommodation to job seekers for under £10 a week.
0:40:36 > 0:40:39And they're ultra-careful about who they admit.
0:40:39 > 0:40:43I need pay slips from a previous job,
0:40:43 > 0:40:46two forms of ID, which I've only got one.
0:40:46 > 0:40:48But I'm going to take an old rail card in there
0:40:48 > 0:40:49and see if they'll take that.
0:40:52 > 0:40:54It's a nightmare to find anything.
0:40:54 > 0:40:57Absolutely anything is a complete nightmare.
0:40:57 > 0:41:02Cos I don't know where... half of it is, I don't know,
0:41:02 > 0:41:04half of it's addressed to other places.
0:41:04 > 0:41:06So you get that and then people say,
0:41:06 > 0:41:09we can't accept that cos it's not addressed to your...
0:41:09 > 0:41:12Like, I've got three different addresses here
0:41:12 > 0:41:13on three different payslips.
0:41:13 > 0:41:16Cos I've been in like the same job, but moving around.
0:41:16 > 0:41:20Jobseekers allowance, first time I've ever signed on.
0:41:20 > 0:41:23Don't feel very proud of it at all.
0:41:23 > 0:41:25With no other options available to her,
0:41:25 > 0:41:30everything is now resting on Nikita's application to the YMCA.
0:41:30 > 0:41:32# The lies weren't created to hurt you
0:41:32 > 0:41:35# I should have known that the only way out was through
0:41:35 > 0:41:37# Should have rolled up my sleeves
0:41:37 > 0:41:40# And started moving this elephant out of the living room... #
0:41:42 > 0:41:48I'm now learning what a huge role charities play in helping to solve this whole problem.
0:41:49 > 0:41:51As well as a basic room for the night,
0:41:51 > 0:41:53charities can provide a support service
0:41:53 > 0:41:55to help young people move on.
0:41:55 > 0:41:58Ideally this will free up rooms more quickly
0:41:58 > 0:42:00for those who are still waiting.
0:42:06 > 0:42:09It's this kind of support that could help someone like Jordan.
0:42:09 > 0:42:11But for him, it isn't quite so simple.
0:42:14 > 0:42:16I've come to Accrington,
0:42:16 > 0:42:19where Carl has arranged for Jordan to view a supported hostel.
0:42:19 > 0:42:20But Jordan has failed to turn up.
0:42:25 > 0:42:27- Hello, hi, Carl. - Hiya, pleased to meet you.
0:42:27 > 0:42:29Nice to meet you.
0:42:29 > 0:42:32Um, well, I came to see Jordan,
0:42:32 > 0:42:35but I'm not sure what's happened?
0:42:35 > 0:42:37He was seen yesterday afternoon and seemed to be OK,
0:42:37 > 0:42:41but trying to pin him down is almost impossible.
0:42:41 > 0:42:46The hours and options team, he's lost priority around him.
0:42:46 > 0:42:47So he'll find it really difficult.
0:42:47 > 0:42:51How much do you think he really wants help?
0:42:51 > 0:42:58Personally, if he wanted help... he would engage, um...
0:42:58 > 0:43:05he would drop everything to be able to a accommodate himself.
0:43:05 > 0:43:10But at the same time, you know, our ethos would be
0:43:10 > 0:43:13we would never give up on him.
0:43:15 > 0:43:16There is help available to Jordan,
0:43:16 > 0:43:19but after the fraught relationship with his dad,
0:43:19 > 0:43:22maybe he's just not ready for any more adult authority.
0:43:32 > 0:43:38# I etched the face of a stopwatch on the back of a raindrop... #
0:43:39 > 0:43:42Well, supported housing is like... is like a hostel,
0:43:42 > 0:43:44but, like, you can't have people stay over,
0:43:44 > 0:43:47well, most situations you can't have people stay over,
0:43:47 > 0:43:49you've got a time when you have to come in,
0:43:49 > 0:43:53two nights a week to stay out, stuff like that, it's just...
0:43:53 > 0:43:55It's like being back at your mum's house really,
0:43:55 > 0:43:56it's like being back at home.
0:43:56 > 0:43:58Get told this, do this, do that.
0:44:00 > 0:44:04I'm not good with rules like that, they bore me.
0:44:04 > 0:44:06So I'd rather get an house with Claire.
0:44:06 > 0:44:08# I heard an unhappy ending
0:44:08 > 0:44:12# It sort of sounds like you leaving
0:44:12 > 0:44:15# I heard the Piledriver Waltz
0:44:15 > 0:44:17# It woke me up this morning... #
0:44:17 > 0:44:21Jordan's dreams of living with his girlfriend is a long way off.
0:44:21 > 0:44:23For now, he's stuck with his transient lifestyle
0:44:23 > 0:44:25for as long as he can bear it.
0:44:31 > 0:44:33Back in London, the life of a nomad
0:44:33 > 0:44:35has already got too much for Samantha.
0:44:35 > 0:44:40With the charity scheme behind her, Sam's on an internet search
0:44:40 > 0:44:44for rooms available to people on housing benefit, known as DSS.
0:44:46 > 0:44:49A lot of them say, like, this one says "DSS no,"
0:44:49 > 0:44:51so I won't be able to apply for that one.
0:44:51 > 0:44:53No DSS.
0:44:53 > 0:44:55No DSS again.
0:44:55 > 0:44:58Perhaps they don't like people on benefits.
0:44:58 > 0:45:02Think that they're all lazy or something, they're not going to pay their rent.
0:45:02 > 0:45:05# Just when things are getting complicated
0:45:05 > 0:45:07# In the eye of the storm... #
0:45:09 > 0:45:12There's a really nice place here in South Woodford,
0:45:12 > 0:45:14they don't want any DSS,
0:45:14 > 0:45:18but it's free to contact so I might contact them anyway.
0:45:21 > 0:45:24That's unfurnished, be nice to have a bed.
0:45:26 > 0:45:29Do you think people panic when you say you're a musician?
0:45:29 > 0:45:32As long as I don't tell them I'm a drummer, cos I'm not.
0:45:32 > 0:45:35Gosh, it must be hard for drummers to find somewhere to live.
0:45:35 > 0:45:37They probably just don't say anything.
0:45:37 > 0:45:41I'm calling in response to the ad that you've got on Spare Room.
0:45:43 > 0:45:46Hello, I'm phoning about the room that I saw.
0:45:46 > 0:45:50Hello, I'm calling in regards to the advert that I've seen on Spare Room.
0:45:50 > 0:45:52No housing benefits, can I ask why?
0:45:55 > 0:45:57I am a professional person, I am a professional person,
0:45:57 > 0:46:00it's just that at the moment I lost my job
0:46:00 > 0:46:03and hoping to find another one very soon.
0:46:03 > 0:46:06But I'm part of this home, I'm part of a scheme,
0:46:06 > 0:46:07it's like a charity-run scheme,
0:46:07 > 0:46:11and there'll be my guarantor and, you know, I have...
0:46:12 > 0:46:15All right, bye, and you, bye-bye.
0:46:15 > 0:46:16Hmm.
0:46:20 > 0:46:22Have you found anywhere?
0:46:22 > 0:46:24No, I was looking for about two hours
0:46:24 > 0:46:27and must have phoned maybe three or four people,
0:46:27 > 0:46:30and one of them said no, no DSS,
0:46:30 > 0:46:32asked me straightaway was I working,
0:46:32 > 0:46:34I said, "Not yet, but I will be,"
0:46:34 > 0:46:35and they were just like, "No, sorry."
0:46:35 > 0:46:38I was like, but I'm on this scheme, and they just went,
0:46:38 > 0:46:40"No, not having it."
0:46:40 > 0:46:41And you know...
0:46:41 > 0:46:43That's not very nice.
0:46:43 > 0:46:46Although Issy is happy to have Sam for now,
0:46:46 > 0:46:48it's not an open-ended offer,
0:46:48 > 0:46:51and Sam knows she has to find somewhere soon.
0:46:51 > 0:46:54The reason why Sam can't live with me permanently at the moment
0:46:54 > 0:46:57is because of the council tax situation, cos it's a student house
0:46:57 > 0:47:00and, um, so I don't have to pay any council tax.
0:47:00 > 0:47:06And if Sam were to move in, she would then have to pay council tax.
0:47:06 > 0:47:09And it's a lot of paperwork for my godmother,
0:47:09 > 0:47:11who's house it actually is,
0:47:11 > 0:47:15and, um, she doesn't really need all that stress at the moment.
0:47:16 > 0:47:19So, maybe...maybe one day.
0:47:34 > 0:47:36Knowing she can't stay at her sister's indefinitely,
0:47:36 > 0:47:39the pressure is also on for Nikita.
0:47:39 > 0:47:43Today she's on her way to the interview with the YMCA.
0:47:43 > 0:47:46It's a make or break today for me.
0:47:46 > 0:47:49How this goes is like, I don't know,
0:47:49 > 0:47:53I'm just a bit scared, I'm a bit like, are they going to...
0:47:53 > 0:47:57If I walk in there, are they going to see my situation?
0:47:59 > 0:48:03Are they going to see that I want to, kind of, move up
0:48:03 > 0:48:05and get my life on track?
0:48:05 > 0:48:07I don't know what they're going to see,
0:48:07 > 0:48:10what their first judgement is going to be.
0:48:10 > 0:48:13So, I'm a bit, kind of, nervous.
0:48:13 > 0:48:16It's like going for a job interview, but for a house.
0:48:21 > 0:48:24This is the best option Nikita's looked at so far,
0:48:24 > 0:48:27but waiting lists are long.
0:48:27 > 0:48:30And first you've got to get through the strict admissions policy.
0:48:34 > 0:48:36- Do you smoke?- Yes.
0:48:36 > 0:48:37- Um, crack?- No.
0:48:37 > 0:48:38- Crystal Meth?- No.
0:48:38 > 0:48:40- GHB.- I don't know what it is.
0:48:40 > 0:48:42What about gambling?
0:48:42 > 0:48:44Do you have any problems around eating, like anorexia,
0:48:44 > 0:48:46bulimia, binge eating?
0:48:46 > 0:48:48Have you ever had any criminal convictions
0:48:48 > 0:48:51- or dealings with the police?- No. - Nothing at all?- No.
0:48:51 > 0:48:53All right, brilliant.
0:48:53 > 0:48:56They also like to ensure that everyone there is committed
0:48:56 > 0:48:58to finding a job and a home.
0:48:58 > 0:49:01I'm going into the job centre, going to places like Salvation Army.
0:49:01 > 0:49:02Coming to you guys,
0:49:02 > 0:49:05just trying to find my first step on the ladder really.
0:49:05 > 0:49:06Yep.
0:49:06 > 0:49:08Do you know what kind of career you'd like to do,
0:49:08 > 0:49:10what kind of work you'd like to get into?
0:49:10 > 0:49:12I want to be a teacher.
0:49:13 > 0:49:18Nikita will find out in a few days whether her application's been successful.
0:49:25 > 0:49:26Thank you very much.
0:49:26 > 0:49:31Stephen now only has two days before he has to be out of the night shelter.
0:49:31 > 0:49:34This could be one of his last hot meals.
0:49:34 > 0:49:39That's quite stressful in itself, just worrying about moving,
0:49:39 > 0:49:40what's going to happen from there.
0:49:40 > 0:49:44So, trying to rack my brains on what to do
0:49:44 > 0:49:46and there's a few options available, but...
0:49:46 > 0:49:47What's your options?
0:49:47 > 0:49:51Well, with the council they said that there's temporary accommodation,
0:49:51 > 0:49:55but, um, that's not set in stone, it's only what they say.
0:49:55 > 0:49:57They're saying there's a waiting list for it?
0:49:57 > 0:50:00Well, they didn't really explain much on the day,
0:50:00 > 0:50:03so it's one of those things I'll just have to play by ear
0:50:03 > 0:50:06and all these people are in the same situation
0:50:06 > 0:50:08and there's a lot of people here.
0:50:08 > 0:50:09So it's a big problem.
0:50:09 > 0:50:13But, hey, you've just got to deal with it, you've got to grin,
0:50:13 > 0:50:15and, well, smile and carry on,
0:50:15 > 0:50:18but sometimes the mask wears thin,
0:50:18 > 0:50:22and you begin to crack. So...
0:50:22 > 0:50:24Do you think that's happening to you at the moment?
0:50:24 > 0:50:25Yeah, yeah, definitely.
0:50:25 > 0:50:28Definitely, I am under a lot of stress at the moment
0:50:28 > 0:50:31and it's just getting a bit much, so...
0:50:37 > 0:50:42# How fickle my heart and how woozy my eyes
0:50:42 > 0:50:45# I struggle to find any truth in your lies
0:50:47 > 0:50:50# And now my heart stumbles on things I don't know
0:50:51 > 0:50:55# My weakness, I feel I must finally show
0:50:59 > 0:51:02# Lend me your hand and we'll conquer them all
0:51:03 > 0:51:07# But lend me your heart and I'll just let you fall
0:51:08 > 0:51:12# Lend me your eyes I can change what you see... #
0:51:14 > 0:51:18Quite upset and, um... nervous about tonight.
0:51:18 > 0:51:23But still haven't got a clue where I'm going to end up tonight to be honest.
0:51:23 > 0:51:26So... Um, yeah.
0:51:26 > 0:51:28It's a little nerve racking.
0:51:28 > 0:51:30And, obviously, I didn't want to wake up
0:51:30 > 0:51:32cos then you have to deal with the day.
0:51:34 > 0:51:38Yeah, it's, um, really, really stressful.
0:51:38 > 0:51:41Trying not to think about it, just take it as it comes.
0:51:41 > 0:51:43Like, so if you set yourself up to worry
0:51:43 > 0:51:45you're not going to get anything done.
0:51:45 > 0:51:53# Away my soul... #
0:51:57 > 0:52:00- Thanks for all your help. - That's all right.
0:52:00 > 0:52:02Cheers for all your time, you guys have been amazing.
0:52:04 > 0:52:07If Stephen can't find a friend to stay with tonight,
0:52:07 > 0:52:09he'll be back in the park without a tent.
0:52:18 > 0:52:21It's been three months since I set out on this journey
0:52:21 > 0:52:23to investigate Britain's hidden homeless.
0:52:25 > 0:52:29Jordan remains sure supported housing isn't right for him,
0:52:29 > 0:52:32for now, he's still walking the streets and sofa surfing.
0:52:40 > 0:52:42Some good news for Sam.
0:52:42 > 0:52:44She's found a job in the music industry,
0:52:44 > 0:52:47but this means she no longer qualifies for housing benefit.
0:52:47 > 0:52:51She'll have to carry on sofa surfing while she saves for a deposit.
0:52:53 > 0:52:57Nikita has received that phone call from the YMCA.
0:52:57 > 0:52:59All right, thank you. OK, bye.
0:53:01 > 0:53:05Guess what, they just said they're like...
0:53:05 > 0:53:10starting tomorrow, they've given me a place.
0:53:10 > 0:53:13And it's a single as well, it's not a shared, it's a single one.
0:53:13 > 0:53:16So, I can move in, bring all my stuff,
0:53:16 > 0:53:18get a bedroom to myself, oh, my God!
0:53:18 > 0:53:23# When the blood dries in my veins and my heart feels no more pain
0:53:23 > 0:53:26# I know I'll be on my way to heaven's door... #
0:53:26 > 0:53:29I'm leaving you!
0:53:35 > 0:53:39Is that it? Ahh!
0:53:42 > 0:53:43Wa-hey!
0:53:43 > 0:53:47I've got two years here, permanent, no worries, no moving,
0:53:47 > 0:53:49I can't really believe it's happened, doing this.
0:53:49 > 0:53:52Now I'm here, like, literally I can start everything rolling,
0:53:52 > 0:53:57get my CVs knocked out, go to college and things like that,
0:53:57 > 0:54:01so my future is definitely better than it was - sleeping on the sofa.
0:54:01 > 0:54:03Look, I've got my own cooker.
0:54:03 > 0:54:05Got a bed, I'm fine, I'm flying.
0:54:09 > 0:54:11The day he left the night shelter,
0:54:11 > 0:54:14Stephen found a sofa to stay on for just one night.
0:54:14 > 0:54:18The following day, his whole future changed.
0:54:20 > 0:54:25The council found him a six-month tenancy at a hostel in his area.
0:54:25 > 0:54:28It's just a room, but for now, it's everything Stephen could hope for.
0:54:28 > 0:54:31This is my room, it's a lot better than being on the street.
0:54:31 > 0:54:33Obviously, you can't take it away
0:54:33 > 0:54:36because it's made out of bricks and mortar. It's not fabric.
0:54:40 > 0:54:44Literally, I can control if I'm outside or inside.
0:54:44 > 0:54:45I've got a door.
0:54:45 > 0:54:49Like, it's the simple things what make all the difference,
0:54:49 > 0:54:52but it's great, sun flooding in,
0:54:52 > 0:54:55like, it's not going to be too cold.
0:54:55 > 0:54:59And, ah, it's such a relief, such a relief.
0:54:59 > 0:55:01This is a huge turning point in my life.
0:55:02 > 0:55:05Just able to put that last chapter behind me
0:55:05 > 0:55:09and I've got everything in place to write this new chapter
0:55:09 > 0:55:11exactly how it should be.
0:55:11 > 0:55:13And, obviously, first things first,
0:55:13 > 0:55:16getting this operation out of the way, and getting back into work.
0:55:16 > 0:55:19And then I won't have to worry about these benefits.
0:55:19 > 0:55:23And by the time I get my more permanent place, I'll be on my feet
0:55:23 > 0:55:26and able to work and support myself
0:55:26 > 0:55:30and not worry about falling between the net again.
0:55:30 > 0:55:33So it's...yay!
0:55:33 > 0:55:35# We are the youth of today
0:55:35 > 0:55:39# We say what we want to say
0:55:39 > 0:55:42# And we are the youth of today
0:55:42 > 0:55:46# Don't care what you have to say at all... #
0:55:47 > 0:55:53Making this film has really opened my eyes to the effect not having a home has on people's lives.
0:55:53 > 0:55:57It's more difficult now than ten years ago when I was looking for a place.
0:55:57 > 0:56:00Now, the rents are higher, and there's less benefits.
0:56:00 > 0:56:02There's less space, full stop.
0:56:04 > 0:56:07And for some, it's not just a temporary problem.
0:56:08 > 0:56:13I've learnt how hidden homelessness is helping to create a lost generation of young people.
0:56:13 > 0:56:18Instead of them being at the stage now where they have all this energy
0:56:18 > 0:56:19and they have all this spark
0:56:19 > 0:56:22and they want to make the world a better place,
0:56:22 > 0:56:25now, they're having to worry about having somewhere to live,
0:56:25 > 0:56:28and I think that is really going to, um,
0:56:28 > 0:56:33hinder what they could possibly be able to achieve in the future.
0:56:36 > 0:56:43# And you don't know a single thing about the youth of today... #
0:56:51 > 0:56:53Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd