Tag Archives: Homelessness

‘Teetering on the edge’: Hunt does nothing for local councils

TV politics pundit ANDREW FISHER, pictured right, assesses the fine detail of the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement, and amid the tax giveaways for the already wealthy, identifies the glaring gaps in financial provision for the NHS, teachers and local authorities like … Continue reading

Posted in 2024 London elections, Andrew Fisher, Council Tax, Croydon Council | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Council’s striking homelessness staff take their fight to Gove

Senior officials have been accused of deliberately sending in false data on homelessness, potentially costing Croydon as much as £3m per year. By our Town Hall reporter, KEN LEE Council staff working in Croydon’s housing and homelessness department have today … Continue reading

Posted in Community associations, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Dean Shoesmith, Housing, Improvement Board, Katherine Kerswell, Mayor Jason Perry, Susmita Sen, Tony McArdle | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Nightwatch blocked from feeding homeless by council building

CROYDON IN CRISIS: The volunteers from an award-winning charity have been kicked off the steps of the council’s office building, in case they put off prospective business tenants of the cash-strapped authority. EXCLUSIVE by STEVEN DOWNES Croydon’s £82,000 per year … Continue reading

Posted in Charity, Croydon Central, Croydon Council, Croydon Nightwatch, Croydon parks, Housing, Jad Adams, Katherine Kerswell, Mayor Jason Perry, Queens Gardens, Sarah Jones MP | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

Housing staff start strike action over latest council job cuts

One of the biggest trades unions representing staff working in the borough has warned Croydon Council that it risks making a bad situation worse if it goes ahead with plans to impose widespread job cuts in its already stretched housing … Continue reading

Posted in Croydon Council, Housing, Katherine Kerswell, Mayor Jason Perry | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

‘Too often councils are failing in their duties’ on homelessness

Two-thirds of all upheld complaints to the Local Government Ombudsman about homelessness involve local authorities in London, including Croydon, according to a report published today. “Too often we are finding councils at fault,” Ombudsman Michael King said today in releasing … Continue reading

Posted in Croydon Council, Housing, London-wide issues, Mayor Jason Perry | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Mayor condemned for ‘cruel’ treatment of street homeless

When other local authorities are looking to provide ‘warm banks’ for the poor and winter shelters for the homeless, Croydon’s cash-strapped council is seizing vulnerable people’s possessions in their effort to tidy up their swanky offices. By STEVEN DOWNES Tory … Continue reading

Posted in Bernard Weatherill House, Charity, Community associations, Croydon Council, Croydon Nightwatch, Housing, Mayor Jason Perry, Property, South Norwood Community Kitchen, Stuart King | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

20% increase in demand for Crisis services on Surrey Street

It’s a bittersweet anniversary for Crisis, the national homelessness charity. They are marking five years since the opening of Crisis Skylight Croydon, their centre to support homeless people, or those at risk of becoming homeless. Using a a disused furniture … Continue reading

Posted in Charity, Crisis Skylight Centre, Surrey Street | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Crisis in urgent appeal for volunteer helpers over Christmas

Crisis, the national homelessness charity, is calling on people across London to volunteer at their Christmas services this year to provide companionship and support to people experiencing homelessness at one of the toughest times of year. The charity urgently needs “night … Continue reading

Posted in Charity, Crisis Skylight Centre, Housing, London-wide issues | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Survey puts Croydon among worst areas for ‘no-fault’ evictions

Croydon had the highest number of renters made homeless by private landlords in south London over the last two years, according to figures obtained by Generation Rent, the housing campaign group. Figures released this week show that more than 40,000 … Continue reading

Posted in Charity, Housing | Tagged , , | 7 Comments

Covid pressures could see homelessness soar, warn boroughs

London faces the most severe homelessness crisis in the country, according to the capitals borough councils, as they face a “triple whammy” of upcoming risks over the summer, as lockdown restrictions and special covid-19 emergency aid for the homeless are … Continue reading

Posted in Croydon Council, Evolve, Housing, London Councils, Patricia Hay-Justice | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Bankrupt borough could leave homeless out in the cold

CROYDON IN CRISIS: Charity workers express their worries that the consequences of the council’s financial collapse could be felt the hardest by some of the borough’s most vulnerable, ELLA HOPKINS reports At the start of the first coronavirus lockdown in … Continue reading

Posted in Charity, Croydon Council, Croydon Nightwatch, Jad Adams, Section 114 notice | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Housing ministry provides £635,000 for borough’s homeless

The government has given Croydon Council a £635,000 grant to continue its work to tackle homelessness during the pandemic through helping people into accommodation and providing health support. It is possible that some of that money could be used to … Continue reading

Posted in Croydon Council, Housing | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Premier League football club opens its doors for the homeless

It’s that time of year again… Crystal Palace Football Club is re-opening its extreme weather emergency shelter for rough sleepers at Selhurst Park this winter. Whenever the overnight temperature is forecast to fall below freezing, the Glaziers Lounge at Selhurst … Continue reading

Posted in Charity, Croydon Council, Crystal Palace FC, Housing, Selhurst | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Donations still welcome in Shakespeare’s homelessness appeal

An appeal for essential items to help Croydon’s homeless this winter has been a huge success, with donations flooding in to the campaign’s collection points at the offices of JB Shakespeare funeral directors in Croydon and Selsdon.

Posted in Business, Charity, Crisis Skylight Centre | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

‘Hostile environment’ charity linked with homes scheme

A council scheme to get vulnerable rough sleepers off the streets and into the warmth and security of somewhere they can call “home” has signed up its first of 10 properties. But none of the homes will be available to … Continue reading

Posted in Alison Butler, Charity, Housing | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Croydon among worst areas in the country for homelessness

There will be more people sleeping rough on the streets of Croydon tonight than in the city of Birmingham. Those are part of the shocking statistics revealed by Shelter, the homelessness charity, who have used official government data and Freedom … Continue reading

Posted in Croydon Council, Croydon Nightwatch, Housing, London-wide issues, Mayor of London, Tom Copley | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Homelessness crisis sees council invest extra £15m in fund

Caught between a rock and a hard place, of London’s ever-spiralling private rents and the Tory government’s ruthless reductions in benefits, Croydon Council is to invest an extra £15million into helping people at risk of homelessness to get secure private … Continue reading

Posted in Charity, Croydon Council, Housing, London-wide issues | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

‘Moral shame on us’ says Barwell over rising homelessness

Gavin Barwell, the Tory MP for Croydon Central and now housing minister in Theresa May’s government, has described homelessness in Britain as “a moral shame on us”. According to official figures, there are 12 times as many people sleeping rough … Continue reading

Posted in Charity, Croydon Central, Croydon Council, Croydon Nightwatch, Gavin Barwell, Housing | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Charity Nightwatch to stage conference on homelessness

Croydon Nightwatch, the local charity whose volunteers have been helping to feed and care for local homeless people every day of the year for the last four decades, will mark its 40th anniversary with a conference to discuss ways of … Continue reading

Posted in Charity, Croydon Nightwatch, Hamida Ali, Housing, Surrey Street | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Charity groups seek volunteers for CR Zero homeless project

A coalition of organisations, endorsed by the local council, is looking for 120 volunteers and local businesses to help tackle chronic rough sleeping in Croydon, as part of a scheme called CR Zero 2020. Among London’s boroughs, Croydon has one … Continue reading

Posted in Charity, Croydon Council, Housing, Louisa Woodley | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Tenancy law change causing more women to be homeless

The number of homeless women in Croydon, many of them forced to sleep rough, is on the increase according to the annual report from Nightwatch, the charity which provides food and support for some of the borough’s most vulnerable people. … Continue reading

Posted in Charity, Croydon Nightwatch, Housing, London-wide issues | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Homelessness in Croydon ‘worst ever’ says charity chief

According to Jad Adams, the chairman of Croydon Nightwatch, the number of people sleeping rough or “in totally unacceptable conditions” in our borough could be twice as many as suggested by official Government estimates. The reasons for the under-estimate, Adams … Continue reading

Posted in Charity, Croydon Nightwatch, Housing | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

South Norwood Tourist Board collecting for Nightwatch

South Norwood Tourist Board is organising a Christmas collection for Nightwatch, the charity that runs the soup kitchen in Queen’s Gardens. A collection box is in The Albert, Harrington Road, South Norwood.

Posted in Charity, Community associations, Croydon Nightwatch, South Norwood Tourist Board | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Perry’s double life as building supplier and planning official

BBC London News featured Croydon on its early evening news on Friday, stating that the building industry in the borough is booming. Oh yeah! This is the same south London borough where the number of affordable homes built in the borough … Continue reading

Posted in "Hammersfield", 2014 council elections, Business, Cherry Orchard Gardens, Croydon Council, Environment, Housing, Jason Perry, Planning, South Croydon, URV, Whitgift Centre | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Gridley returns from being down and out in Purley and London

Jeff Gridley’s week of sleeping rough on some of the coldest – and wettest – nights of the winter has come to an end, with the Croydon dustcart driver saying, “It was pretty tough.” Gridley thinks he has raised more … Continue reading

Posted in Charity, Church and religions, Community associations, Croydon Nightwatch, Taberner House | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment