Homelessness is '˜out of control', says community leader

That’s the hard-hitting view of Geoffrey Brooking, who helps to run a soup kitchen in Havant and a food bank in Leigh Park.

He said: ‘Twelve people are sleeping rough in Havant at the moment.

‘It’s got completely out of control.

‘I think more people are homeless than ever before.

‘It’s down to the benefits cuts – people are being turned out of their homes because they can’t afford to pay and then are being turned away by local authorities.’

He said councils had to take a look at their ‘consciences’.

He said Havant was in desperate need of a homeless shelter. There is one in Portsmouth and Fareham, but a gap between the city and Chichester.

Two Saints is one of the main charities helping homeless people in the south.

It has outreach workers who can help get people into accommodation.

A statement from Two Saints, based in Fareham, said: ‘Two Saints has been supporting homeless people for over 50 years and works in partnership with local authorities and a wide range of other services to help break the cycle of homelessness, through providing accommodation, support and opportunities for education , training and employment.’

The charity has a number of success stories where people have been homeless and are now leading happy lives in employment.