Your story can help us campaign for change
If you are homeless or struggling with housing issues, we would like to hear from you.
Your personal experiences could help us to campaign for real change and prevent other people from having to face similar problems.
Why should I share my story?
We rely on people’s personal experiences of homelessness and housing problems to bring these issues to life. They help us to:
campaign for real change so that, in the future, other people won’t have to face the same problems you are struggling with. Your stories will often be the evidence we need to make our campaigns a success
raise awareness in the media of the housing emergency and the devastating impact that it is having on people’s lives
reach more people struggling with bad housing or homelessness. Hearing from you could reassure people in similar situations that they’re not alone and that there is help available
inspire people to donate, volunteer, or take part in a Shelter event and raise the funds we need to be able to continue with our vital work
Helping Shelter through sharing my story was the silver lining of being made homeless. It gave me so many opportunities to help others, and to assist in raising funds for Shelter so that everyone there could keep doing the amazing jobs they do.
- Kimberley
Who should share their story?
We would like to hear from you if:
you are currently struggling with homelessness or housing issues
we helped you to solve your housing or homelessness issues and you are now settled. This could have been through support from our helpline, webchat, or face-to-face services
We are particularly hoping to share stories of people who are:
renting privately and struggling with affordability, disrepair issues, or are facing eviction
homeless and living in temporary accommodation, such as bed and breakfasts
Our ‘Share your story’ form is for people who want to tell us their story. We are not able to provide housing or homelessness advice and support this way.
If you are in need of help and advice, please visit our advice pages
How will we share your story?
After you submit your story we will review it carefully.
Unfortunately, we can’t respond to everyone. But, if your story fits with one of our current campaigns, we will call you for an informal chat to find out more and work out the best way to share your story.
We often use people’s experiences in:
Media (including speaking to journalists, if that’s what you’d like to do)
Campaigns
Fundraising appeals
Social media
Blogs
The impact that stories like yours can have
Stephen’s story
When Stephen and his family were searching for a new home, they faced ‘no DSS’ discrimination at every turn. We helped them to find a suitable home. But, Stephen wanted to stop others from having to go through the same experience. By sharing his story and working with our Legal team, he took the estate agents to court and won a ‘landmark case’ that proved the way they had behaved was discriminatory and in breach of the Equality Act.
Although our fight for a home was over, I couldn’t stop thinking about the thousands of other families on benefits, missing out on decent homes because of discrimination. I knew I had to do more. It was about taking a stand – making sure they didn’t treat other families the way they treated us.
- Stephen
Shandor and Billy’s story
Shandor and his seven-year-old son, Billy, become homeless after he was left disabled by an accident at work and fell behind on his rent payments. Shandor shared his story with Shelter and appeared on the Channel 4 news and the Victoria Derbyshire show.
I sincerely believe that speaking up was the right decision. It gave me the self-confidence I needed to voice my opinions. Being homeless decimated this and other feelings I had. Being able to tell my story helped me pull my emotions back into focus.
- Shandor
Share your story
Now that you’re ready to share your story, please fill out this form.
Frequently asked questions
What kind of stories are you looking for?
We’d love to hear from anyone who has received help from us, and/or has had an experience with bad housing.
Where will my story be used?
We can choose together how your story will be used. It’s important we find a solution that works for you. Your experience could be used as part of our fundraising appeals, on our social media or blog, to support our campaigns, or even in the media – it's all up to you. There may even be an option to speak to a journalist, but that's also your choice. We will respect your wishes, whatever they are.
What should I expect from having my story in the media or published on Shelter's website?
Having your story published in the media or on our website will inevitably put your experiences in the public domain. So, before we publish anything, we will always explain exactly what and where your story will feature, and seek consent from you. Once published, there may be comments from the general public and, while these comments are usually overwhelmingly supportive, occasionally people may respond negatively. We recommend just ignoring these as best you can, but our Stories Team will always be around to support you and answer any queries you have.
