Number Of Veterans On The Street 'Minimal' But There's Still Plenty Of Work To Be Done

Figures released by the charity Shelter show that 1 in every 200 people in Britain are officially recorded as homeless however, the number of ex-soldiers on the streets is currently at an all-time low according to Veterans Aid.

Veterans Aid are a charity which supports ex-serviceman and women in crisis, specifically crises which lead to homelessness.

The Chief Executive of the charity, Dr Hugh Milroy, said that they’re doing exceedingly well at the moment, with the success rate of helping veterans at 90%. He added:

“This is my 23 year doing this now and I have to tell you that the numbers [of ex-service personnel] now on the streets are minimal.

"In fact, I would go as far as to say that as the front line agency for homelessness among veterans, there is no need for any single veteran to be out there at all.”

In 2016 Veterans Aid say on their website they helped 411 new clients, provided 22,000 nights of accommodation and homed 154 veterans.

They also put 35 veterans through rehab, sent 45 clients into 72 training courses and found jobs for 62 people. 

Veterans Aid don’t just categorise homelessness as those sleeping on the streets, it also covers living in a car of sofa surfing.

One of those helped Veterans Aid is Clive Spencer, who reached out to the charity after a friend he was staying with urged him to get help.

Clive served in the Army for 12 years and declared homelessness in 2010 after a change in family and employment circumstances.

He explained how he felt at the time:

“It’s horrible because you’ve got a lot of pride, and to break that pride and say you feel a failure.”

The charity provided him with a room in a hostel with 40 other ex-soldiers in a similar situation.

“I was overwhelmed...overwhelmed because it was unbelievable and that I got in that hostel...it’s like living in a mess.

“When they said homeless hostel I said I didn’t want it because I haven’t got a drugs or alcohol problems, that’s what you think when you hear homeless hostel, but it’s not.”

Clive is another Veterans Aid success story and now looking to the future where he will soon have accommodation of his own and a secure job.

This is the best possible outcome for the team at Veterans Aid, Dr Hugh Milroy added:

“When they leave us, I hope in the best possible way, we never seen them again, and for the most part that’s true.”

 

You can find out more about Veterans Aid here.