This Christmas can be someone’s first day of life out of homelessness. Each year, Crisis at Christmas opens its doors to thousands of people experiencing homelessness. Find out more about the impact our Christmas appeal has and how you can get involved this year.
Since 1967, the Crisis at Christmas charity appeal has been supporting those of us experiencing homelessness at Christmas. Every year, with your help, we mobilise a unique volunteering effort to provide warmth, companionship, and vital services to people facing homelessness at one of the toughest times of the year.
Over that time we’ve learnt a lot about homelessness and how we can help end it. Our support over this period is not a temporary fix and the first day someone spends with us this Christmas isn’t the last. Our Christmas services work alongside the specialist support we provide all year, which includes helping people facing homelessness to find their own stable home, to access education and training.
Find out what's going on in your area and how you can get involved in Crisis at Christmas this year, from volunteering opportunities to carol services - Christmas is well and truly here.
This Christmas thousands of people experiencing homelessness will need support. Over 330,000 families and individuals across Great Britain are now experiencing the worst forms of homelessness, including rough sleeping, sofa surfing and staying in unsuitable temporary accommodation like B&Bs. Since 2021, rough sleeping in England has increased by 91%.
This year, across our services in London and across Britain, we will be supporting 5,500 people experiencing homelessness this Christmas.
Your donations to the Crisis at Christmas charity appeal make this support possible.
With the help of many generous supporters and over 3,500 dedicated volunteers, we provided hotel accommodation and support via our day centres in the capital and regional Skylights across Britain. Together, we provided warmth, a safe place to stay and specialist support to people experiencing homelessness during one of the toughest months of the year.
In 2024, our day centres supported over 1,450 people, helping them on their journeys out of homelessness. We also provided ongoing support and advice, health and wellbeing services, and food to over 3,700 people at our Skylight centres across England, Wales, and Scotland.
We provided hotel accommodation for more than 600 people who would otherwise have been sleeping rough. Giving people the safety and comfort of their own hotel room, alongside dedicated advice and support, is a transformative and dignified approach that can change lives. If you can, please help us to deliver our essential services again this year.
“I lost my mum – then I lost everything. I went from caring for my mum to not being able to care for myself. I was evicted and there was nothing I could do about it. I was so lost… I’d just walk and walk all night. Honestly, there were days I didn’t want to keep going. Crisis brought me back from the brink. Having a bed felt strange – I was used to concrete. That first haircut and shave made me feel like my old self.”— Simon's story is based on real experiences. After losing his mum and his home, 49-year-old Simon found himself sleeping rough on the streets of Newcastle. He was at his lowest – until he found his way to Crisis at Christmas.
