Hidden Homelessness

The true extent of homelessness in the UK is unknown because the vast majority of it is hidden. The general public don’t realise that the rough sleepers they may see every day on the street are just the tip of a huge iceberg.
Official government figures reported that 39 people were sleeping rough in Birmingham on one night in 2022. But, there are in fact approximately 4,000 homeless households in the city. These are individuals and families living in hostels, bedsits and other forms of temporary accommodation - a number that is estimated to total 15,000 people.
Beyond this number, there are even more people that are entirely ‘off the radar’ of the local authorities because they are not entitled to housing, (perhaps because of their immigration status) or they’ve simply slipped through the net. These people are often sofa surfing, sleeping in their car or living in dangerous conditions.
This awareness campaign for SIFA Fireside aims to shine a spotlight into this dark corner of the homelessness problem.
Individuals affected by homelessness are subtly integrated into the places where the hidden homeless are forced to sleep every night, bringing this concept to life.
In doing so, this campaign shines a light on this national issue and signposts the great work that SIFA Fireside do to help these people.