Christmas can be the beginning of life beyond 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.
A heartfelt thank you to all our amazing supporters who helped people take their first step towards a life beyond homelessness over Christmas 2024. Our Crisis at Christmas 2024 appeal is now finished.
Because of you, we've been able to help people experiencing homelessness over Christmas and into the new year. Your support will continue to make a lasting impact, enabling us to provide year-round help to end homelessness for good.
Thank you for being a part of this journey with us.
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.
With the help of many generous supporters and over 3,500 dedicated volunteers, we provided hotel accommodation and support via our day centres in London 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 in London 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 in London, 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. To everyone who supports our Christmas campaign and makes this possible, thank you. The difference you make is enormous.
"The first time I came across Crisis was when I went to the library, and I was really down, and I just found this leaflet. I thought I’d give it a go and I didn’t know what I was going to be walking into. It was just amazing. It was life changing."— Gaz, former Crisis member and one of our 2024 Christmas appeal storytellers
This Christmas, thousands of people experiencing homelessness need support. Nearly a quarter of a million households across England are now experiencing the worst forms of homelessness. That includes rough sleeping, sofa surfing and staying in unsuitable temporary accommodation like B&Bs.
Rough sleeping alone has increased in England by 27% in the last year.
This year we will again be providing hotel rooms across London for people who would otherwise be sleeping rough over Christmas. Combined with many more who will receive support through our day centres in the capital and frontline services across Britain, we will be supporting more than 5,500 people experiencing homelessness this Christmas.
Your donations to the Crisis at Christmas charity appeal make this support possible.
Find out more about ways to help people facing homelessness at Christmas.
Volunteer with Crisis this Christmas and be there for someone as they start to build a life beyond homelessness.
Whether you are the first person a guest meets when they walk through the door looking for support, or you provide a listening ear and companionship, you’ll be making a real difference to those experiencing homelessness this Christmas.
Christmas volunteering opportunities
Year round volunteering opportunities
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.
