WIREDGOV

In response to a Daily Mail on-line opinion piece ('As thousands of servicemen are made redundant, how many will be turned away from homeless shelters that are packed full of immigrants?' ) the heads of over 40 homelessness organisations have written an open letter in response.

An opinion piece by Homeless Link Director Matt Harrison, was also published by the Daily Mail in response. 

Dear Sir

Allan Mallinson asked in an article whether “thousands of ex-service men” will be “turned away” from homeless charities because they are “packed full of immigrants”. The simple answer is no, only 4% of people sleeping rough in London are from a services background, not 25%.

Most homeless people are neither ex-servicemen nor individuals from overseas. Last year, the majority of homeless hostels saw no asylum seekers or refugees, while nearly half saw no Eastern European migrants. Even when hostels did see people from these groups, for most they made up a minority of clients.

In a recession, charities are struggling to meet a rise in homelessness at a time of cuts to their funding, but to imply that veterans are being denied help because hostels are ‘overwhelmed by immigrant need’ is misleading.

Redundancies in the forces could add to the homelessness problem but charities will work hard to help anyone who finds themselves on the streets.

Yours,

Jeremy Swain Chief Executive Thames Reach
Howard Sinclair Chief Executive Broadway
Ed Tytherleigh Chief Executive Stoll
Cathy Corcoran OBE Chief Executive Cardinal Hume Centre
Keith Fernett Director Anchor House
Andrew Redfern Chief Executive Framework Housing Association
Bill Puddicombe Chief Executive Equinox
Stephen Bell OBE Group Chief Executive The Cyrenians
Matt Harrison, Director, Homeless Link
Farah Damji, Chief Executive, Kazuri Properties Ltd
Jeremy Jones Chief Executive York Arc Light Ltd
Steve Hedley Chief Executive Trinity Homeless Project
Mike Barrett  Chief Executive Porchlight
Di Cunliffe Policy Officer Social Firms UK
Tim Renshaw Chief Executive Cathedral Archer Project
John Shipley Chief Executive Taunton Association for the Homeless
Andrew Sanders Services Manager StopGap Supported Housing
Mike Smith Chief Executive Watford New Hope Trust
Peter Mansfield-Clark MBE Director Crawley Open House
Amanda Croome Centre Co-ordinator Booth Centre
Rachel Wilson Chief Executive Accommodation Concern
Brian Jones Chief Executive Gloucestershire Emergency Accommodation  Resource 
Joe Lee Chief Executive Homeless Action in Barnet
Nancy Doyle Chief Executive Aquila Way
Peter Davey Chief Executive Bridge Housing Services
Steve Watson Chief Executive Lighthouse Homes
Darren Lyons Chief Executive Liverpool YMCA
Graham Mynott Head of Project Keyhouse
Wil Horwood Chief Executive Hope Worldwide
Linda Juland Chief Executive CAN
Lee Dribben Chief Executive The Ashley Foundation
David Perry Community Leader Emmaus Bristol
John Green Director Stay
Cath Gilliver Chief Executive SIFA Fireside
Rev Stephen Fowler Chief Executive Connect Centre
David Clover Centre Manager Webber Street Day Centre
Bruce Marquart Chairman St Cuthbert's Centre
Ali Ward Manager Emmaus Leeds
Geoffrey Randall Chief Executive Research and Information Services
Steve Braddick Centre Manager Chelsea Methodist Church Pastoral Centre
Mandy McGuire Project Manager Slough Homeless Our Concern - SHOC
Alison Gelder Director Housing Justice
Michelle Gardner Chief Executive Trinity Winchester
Helen Razdan Chief Executive Self Help Community Housing Association
Amy Hassell Special Projects Co-ordinator The April Centre Day Centre
Gill Brown Chief Executive Brighter Futures
Mike Taylor Chief Executive Plymouth Access To Housing
John Hamblin Chief Executive Shekinah Mission
Andy Winter Chief Executive Brighton Housing Trust