Homelessness charity Crisis estimates that there are 380,000 people in Britain who do not appear in official homelessness figures (YPN, 21-27 July, p4).
The reason is because they stay in temporary accommodation, moving in and out of B&Bs, or with friends. Although the scale of this problem may be surprising, the concept is not new. Sofa surfing, as it is sometimes known, is now an accepted part of homelessness, but little has been done to address the issue.
Limited support
Danny, 26, became homeless when he was 18 and has spent the past eight years moving between temporary hostels and friends' houses. He says he would have benefited greatly from more support. "There could have been quite a few more services made known to me," he says. "You are feeling around blind before you find something."
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