"Is the bubble about to pop?": The train-dwelling carpenter without a home
In the heart of London, a silent crisis is unfolding. The number of older workers facing homelessness has seen a staggering increase, with Daniel Wren, a 56-year-old carpenter, being one of many caught in this vicious cycle.
Daniel, who obtained his City & Guilds carpentry qualifications from Croydon College, found himself on the streets after a complex series of events involving a period off work to care for his sick father, loss of his home, a broken van, aggressive flatmates, and unpaid wages.
Despite the hardships, Daniel remains hopeful, refusing to be beaten. He continues to work as a carpenter, but the lack of sleep, washing facilities, and food makes him feel like a liability.
Daniel's demographic, older adults in the twilight of their working life, is a concern for homeless charities. The increase in this demographic is primarily driven by a combination of an acute housing crisis, rising rents, insecure and insufficient income, and inadequate social housing provision.
The private rental market in London has become increasingly unaffordable, with rents rising by over 10% year-on-year. This, coupled with job insecurity, has made it difficult for low-income or insecure workers like Daniel to maintain housing.
Linda Palmas from charity Croydon Nightwatch comments that people only come out at 9.30pm for food unless they are desperate. Daniel, who prefers to blend in, referring to himself as "incognito homeless," is a regular at a pop-up soup kitchen, where he receives food along with other individuals who cannot afford food on top of their rent.
Daniel's sleeping arrangements range from local parks to swapping between trains, trams, and buses during the "zombie hours" from 1am to 5am. He has a lockup where he stores his memories and tools, and among his belongings are a banner from his father's 70th birthday, a photo of his parents on their wedding day, and a giant cuddly "Doc" from the seven dwarves.
The Combined Homelessness and Information Network (CHIN) released figures showing the increase in homelessness in London, reflecting a rise of over 50% in recent years. Solutions being pursued or proposed involve increased building and provision of social housing, innovations in service access for those rent-burdened, and comprehensive cross-government strategies targeting homelessness.
The current government has promised to develop a cross-government strategy to tackle the issue of rough sleeping, and the previous government pledged to end it. Addressing homelessness among older workers involves ensuring sustained affordable housing, improving employment security, and expanding support services tailored to this demographic’s needs.
Tackling homelessness in older workers in London requires systemic housing reform to increase social housing supply, rent controls to slow private rental inflation, employment policies for secure incomes, and integrated support services to prevent and alleviate homelessness. Daniel, like many others, remains hopeful, holding onto his skills as a carpenter and determined to continue working.
- The silent crisis in London, affecting older workers like Daniel Wren, extends to encompass mental health concerns, as the grueling conditions of homelessness exacerbate feelings of vulnerability and uncertainty.
- In an effort to combat homelessness among older workers and improve workplace-wellness, proposals have been made to implement comprehensive cross-government strategies, focusing on expanding social housing, enforcing rent control, establishing employment security, and providing tailored support services for this demographic's unique needs, to foster health-and-wellness and prevent homelessness.
