About the charity
About Church Homeless Charity
Small grants that make a big impact – supporting people without a home across England.
Church Homeless Charity gives personal grants to people who are homeless – for what they need to rebuild their lives.
We are one of the few charities that give personal grants for items such as clothing, training and rent deposits.
We work with over 130 homelessness initiatives across England to reach the people who need our help.
Our mission
To provide grants quickly for what homeless people really need
Our grants make a real difference – such as:
- A phone to stay in touch with support networks
- Pots, pans, and bedding for a new tenancy
- ID to access benefits or employment
- Clothes for a job interview
- Travel to vital appointments or job interviews
Our grants are small, fast, and focused on what matters most in that moment.
How we work
Partnering with frontline homelessness services
We work with supported accommodation schemes and homelessness services across England. Once registered as a partner, their frontline staff can apply for grants on behalf of the people they support.
Our process is simple and responsive. We trust the professionals who know their clients best, and we aim to remove as many barriers as possible to getting the right help at the right time.
Our values
- Compassion: We help without judgement
- Practicality: We fund what’s needed most, right now
- Partnership: Through our partnerships, we empower homeless people to make decisions on how grants are spent
- Faith in action: Our Christian values guide us, and we support people of all faiths and none
Our history
Supporting people without a home since 1882
In 1882, Revd Wilson Carlile (1847-1942) began working with homeless people in London.
Revd Carlile (an English priest and evangelist) would often spend the night on the Thames Embankment in winter to care for those sleeping rough.
Revd Carlile founded Church Army Housing in 1924, setting up drink-free hostels and work opportunities for people trying to stay off the streets. Following the success of these hostels, he set up many more hostels across England.
A brief timeline of our history
1977: Church Army Housing accommodation was transferred to the Church Housing Association, as the Church Army did not have access to public funding to maintain the properties.
1984: Church Housing Trust was founded to raise charitable funds to support the people in Church Housing Association hostels and became a registered charity in 1990.
Alongside this, the Church Housing Association merged with Baptist Housing to form English Churches Housing Group (ECHG). ECHG redeveloped many of the older, original Church Army hostels. Church Housing Trust continued to fund added extras to rebuild the lives of the individuals staying in these hostels.
2006: English Churches Housing Group merged with the Riverside Group – Care & Support. The project’s purpose remained the same: to provide supported living for individuals who have experienced homelessness. This branch of the Riverside Group has more than 100 projects.
2023: Church Homeless Trust as it was then known changed its name to Church Homeless Charity.
Church Homeless Charity remains an independent charity raising funds for homeless people. There are increasing numbers of people who really need our help, and we are able to reach these people by working in partnership with Riverside and other organisations.
While our name reflects our roots in the Church of England, today we receive no support from the Church and we rely on donations to continue our work.
We support people of all backgrounds, religions and nationalities.
Who we support
Our grants help people who are:
- Rough sleeping
- Living in hostels or temporary accommodation
- Fleeing domestic abuse
- Leaving the armed forces, the care system or prison
- Recovering from illness, bereavement and trauma