Coronavirus: As death rates rise, the UK’s hidden homeless are forgotten - BBC Newsnight

We know that the lockdown and social distancing can be very stressful, but it is equally, if not more stressful when you can't do that, and are struggling against the odds to protect yourself and your family.

The Homeless charity Shelter puts the number of homeless living in the UK, at more than three hundred thousand - many of whom are living in hostels, shared homes and B+Bs - families often crammed into one room, people forced to share kitchen facilities, unable to afford accommodation of their own.

Shelter says 60% of its calls now are about Covid19. Those living in temporary accommodation are over-represented by people from BAME backgrounds - who are also disproportionately affected by coronavirus.

James Clayton investigates.

#Coronavirus #Covid19 #Health

Newsnight is the BBC's flagship news and current affairs TV programme - with analysis, debate, exclusives, and robust interviews.

[topdogx]

This is not showing rough sleepers this is showing people in accommodation who have at least have a roof over their head. GET FILMING ON THE STREETS TO SEE PEOPLE WITH NO SHELTER!!!!

[Hansneesnbumpsadaisy]

There's a homeless guy sits outside my local Lidl who showed me his green, weeping, potentially gangrenous leg the other day. He's in his 30's and tells me he can't get accommodation because he's trapped between two councils both arguing over who's responsible for housing him. He can't get properly registered with a GP and relies on NHS drop-in centres. They've told him they can't sort his leg - it's beyond repair - and are waiting for it to get so bad they're forced to amputate. He'll need some random passerby to make the emergency call at that point and if they don't he'll die. I'm not making this up. There really is a guy with a leg that needs amputating sitting outside Lidl. He lives on the ledge behind the trolleys. He's been there for months; sleeping in the snow we had a few months ago. Suddenly there's an issue over some ladies in shared accommodation potentially being exposed to the virus and the issue of 'does society care' gets raised? Don't get me wrong - I'm all for it - but there's this guy with a green weeping leg who could die any moment living on a ledge behind the trolleys at Lidl ...

[philipboyce]

Why Don't the BBC make a Documentary about Solving the problem and it's Causes..

[BradLad]

If you're on newsnight, you're not hidden.

[rogerkearns]

Twice as many men die than women, that's what gets 'forgotten' about.

[michaelp]

The BBC really is a waste of money. Don't pay the fee.

[derf]

The audacity of the BBC, just like sport relief, loads of rich people. Highlighting an issue for the less well off masses to sort out the problem.

[kadourimdou]

It disproportionately effects Men more, yet that doesn't get treated in the same way as other groups.

[slobiden.]

She’s homeless. But has a flat?


Sure BBC. SURE.



Edit: I’m calling out the BBCs bullshit calling her homeless, when she has a place. We have a homeless problem, this woman is not the face of it.

[checkplease]

Still better than sleeping on the streets

[jamesquinn]

I’m so happy people are seeing BBC for the their true colours.

[elise-soulconnector]

ive been in "temp" accomodation for over 8 years now. Housing crisis will change things in a pandemic. Maybe this was the governments plan all along. Who knows, but this was all common knowledge before the crisis hit us. They didnt care then. So we will see what really changes.

[farah]

Thanks to social workers and perpetrators who make people homeless and then saying its procedures we have to follow. According to them they can not provide you home and safety but the perpetrator is allowed to do what ever they want.

[elizabethleas]

So heartbreaking. Yeah, when they say we're all in this together it makes me sick to my stomach cuz I know it's not true.

[shelsparkle]

Excuse me I know those who are homeless and the system makes it difficult to get out of homelessness no one. Wants. To accept someone on dss and they don't want to provide with a studio or something so you can build a life. And get out of homelessness

[derloopkat]

The homeless should be in work camps, not in hotels paid with our taxes.

[rsdex]

BBC, I am sick of it. make it subscription based, and then we can get rid of it. I have personally got better things to do with my money. It's a embarrassment to our country .

[TenableVegan]

What is this?? The majority of households in the UK are in this predicament & only have 1 kitchen & bathroom in a property last time I checked. If anybody gets ill in a household where do they or the other people go? If the sick stay in the now contaminated home & the "non sick" go somewhere else who's gonna have them when there's a chance they could be infected too? And secondly you're not allowed to visit friends & other relatives. This video is jokes right? Yes we're all in this together as in we work together to keep households uninfected, that's why we're in lockdown, so that we don't get infected in the 1st place as households.

[neikory]

"No one cares" Yet about 36% of the public budget is spent on social protection that is more than twice what the country spends on Education and on the Health system. Just a handful of countries in the whole world have something similar to what we got here in the UK when regarding to Housing and temp accommodation. People need to be more grateful honestly.

[lessonslearnt]

What about the ones who don't have a roof, how do they self isolate? Let me also state that there are 6 people (husband, wife and 4 children) I know living in a permanent one bedroom flat. There are people living much worse than what you are showing. Was the purpose of this video to highlight or exploit?