Birmingham homelessness charity says more people using services
Feedo Needo was holding a special event to mark World Homelessness Day
A charity supporting homeless people in Birmingham says they think the problem of homelessness is getting worse.
Feedo Needo runs a weekly foodbank in Digbeth and provides a warm space for local people.
We spoke to Rebecca Hargreave, the charity's project coordinator, at their event for World Homelessness day.
She told us the problem of homelessness is not improving.
"To be honest every year it's just getting worse and worse," she says.
"In the three years since I've been doing it we've been getting more and more service users. We're not seeing a decrease.
"And if anything, at this time of year, we're seeing a lot more who are coming through the door because they're cold," she says.
She says she thinks high housing costs are partly to blame for the problem:
"There isn't any housing. And due to the cost of housing I think a lot of people are finding themselves homeless.
"If you look at the cost of rental properties... they're so expensive. Even people who are working are really struggling - you can't find anywhere to rent.
"That's why a lot of people are becoming homeless because there's not enough housing - or affordable housing, shall we say," she says.
"There are a lot of properties which are private, with high rents. And people haven't got the deposit they're wanting."
Rebecca says people from all walks of life can be affected by homelessness:
"If you look in the room now, there's all different ages - you've got elderly and young people. People who have come over to this country and haven't got anywhere to live.
"There's every age group."
In December 2023 the charity Shelter estimated there were 16,142 homeless people in Birmingham, the highest total in England behind London.