FAQs

Church Homeless Charity provides life-changing grants for people who are homeless in England. We do this through partnership with homelessness schemes and services, ensuring that grants are useful and necessary.

Church Homeless Charity is a small but highly impactful organisation, supporting around three thousand people each year through our network of partners. We currently have five members of staff and a board of seven. Our size allows us to operate economically and respond quickly to changing needs.

We work remotely and meet regularly at our base in London (a space within Queen Mary’s Hostel near Victoria.)

Church Homeless Charity is funded through generous donations from individuals, churches, companies and trusts. These contributions enable us to continue our vital work. Despite our historical links, we do not receive any funding from the Church of England.

People can become homeless for a wide range of reasons, including bereavement, injury, poverty, relationship breakdown, domestic abuse, ill mental health, substance misuse, or losing a job.

Often, a combination of these factors can push someone into homelessness, and without a stable support network, finding a path back to secure housing can be incredibly challenging. Visit our Understanding Homelessness page to find out more.

Over 100 homelessness schemes and services are registered with us. Those organisations can apply for grants for group activities or items for group use (for the benefit of their residents), or they can apply for a grant on behalf of an individual. 

Our grants are available to individuals who are homeless or at imminent risk of becoming homeless, and referred through our registered partners (read more on Our Partners). We support people of all backgrounds, faiths, and circumstances, focusing on timely practical assistance that makes a tangible difference.

No, individuals cannot apply directly. Our grants are accessed exclusively through our registered partners, ensuring the support provided is both targeted and impactful.

Unfortunately, benefits are often not enough to cover the basics, like rent, food, and utility bills. And this financial assistance rarely stretches to cover the full range of essentials needed to rebuild a stable life or help people during times of crisis or transition. For example, while someone might receive a flat from their local authority, it is often completely unfurnished, leaving them without basics like carpets, curtains, or white goods.

Our grants step in to fill these gaps; providing essentials that make a house a home, covering emergency costs, supporting training for new careers, or helping people return to education – areas where mainstream support often falls short.

Additionally, we also support people who have no immediate access to benefits, including those awaiting decisions on their immigration status, those without essential identification, or individuals who have been sanctioned for missing appointments, often for unavoidable reasons like hospital stays. In these situations, our grants can provide a critical safety net when other forms of support are unavailable.

Read Our stories for examples of our help in action.

We work closely with our partners, who apply for grants on behalf of the people they support. These partners are responsible for ensuring that funds are used as intended. And we conduct regular monitoring and ask for feedback to ensure accountability and transparency.

We work closely with our partners, who apply for grants on behalf of the people they support. These partners are responsible for ensuring that funds are used as intended. And we conduct regular monitoring and ask for feedback to ensure accountability and transparency.

If your organisation supports people experiencing homelessness and you would like to register as a partner, you can complete our online registration form or contact our team for more information.

No, Church Homeless Charity supports people of all faiths and backgrounds. While our work is guided by Christian values, our grants are provided solely based on need, without regard to religion or beliefs.

You can read real-life stories from those we’ve supported and see the impact of our work on our ‘Stories’ page. You can also read our Impact Report on the ‘Our reports’ page.

You can support our work by making a donation, fundraising, or sharing our mission with others. Visit our Support us page for more ideas on how to get involved.

If you have more questions or would like to speak to a member of our team, please reach out via our contact form, or email. We’d love to hear from you.

Yes, you can stay up to date by signing up for our newsletter or following us on social media for the latest news and stories from Church Homeless Charity.