S1E7 Homelessness: The hidden figures - with Kai Samra

Warning: Strong language
Official homelessness statistics are a fraction of the numbers that charities claim to exist. Is someone sugarcoating the data? Is it a genuine mistake? Or are we looking in wrong places?
With fines and sentences for sleeping on the streets, the UK and many other countries make no apologies for targeting rough sleeping. Temporary accommodation facilities earn private contractors hundreds of millions in state benefits every year. But are they actually helping, or just keeping the problem behind closed doors?
This week, Media Storm speaks to people who are and have been homeless. They expose some disconcerting truths about these state-supported lodgings, systemic attempts to remove vulnerable people from public view, and the catastrophic levels of homelessness lying hidden in the wings. Comedian Kai Samra joins us in the studio to take a look at some of the latest headlines on homelessness, and discuss what reporting on the topic often gets wrong.
Your hosts:

Mathilda Mallinson @mathildamall

Helena Wada @helenawadia

Your guests:

Kai Samra @kaisamra

Benjay Crossman @benjaycrossman

Earl Charlton @earljc78 @nehest2014

Kerri Douglas @kerridouglas18

Paul Atherton @LondonersLondon

Sources:

Introductory statistics: (official 1) https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/rough-sleeping-snapshot-in-england-autumn-2020/rough-sleeping-snapshot-in-england-autumn-2020 ; (official 2) https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1050291/Statutory_Homelessness_Stats_Release_July-September_2021.pdf ; (Crisis) https://www.crisis.org.uk/about-us/media-centre/227-000-households-across-britain-are-experiencing-the-worst-forms-of-homelessness/)

Profits for accommodation providers: https://amp.theguardian.com/world/2021/jun/27/hostels-from-hell-the-supported-housing-that-blights-birmingham

Care leavers: (Guardian) https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2019/nov/11/we-are-failing-children-in-care-and-they-are-dying-on-our-streets ; (official) https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-8429/CBP-8429.pdf

Vagrancy Act: https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-7836/

Prison releases: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1006474/2021_Q4_CPT_publication.pdf

Get in touch

Follow us on Twitter http://twitter.com/mediastormpod

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or Tiktok https://www.tiktok.com/@mediastormpod

like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/MediaStormPod

send us an email [email protected]

check out our website https://mediastormpodcast.com

Music by Samfire @soundofsamfire. Artwork by Simba Baylon @simbalenciaga.

Media Storm is brought to you by the house of The Guilty Feminist and is part of the Acast Creator Network.

Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/media-storm.

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Warning: Strong language

Official homelessness statistics are a fraction of the numbers that charities claim to exist. Is someone sugarcoating the data? Is it a genuine mistake? Or are we looking in wrong places?

With fines and sentences for sleeping on the streets, the UK and many other countries make no apologies for targeting rough sleeping. Temporary accommodation facilities earn private contractors hundreds of millions in state benefits every year. But are they actually helping, or just keeping the problem behind closed doors?

This week, Media Storm speaks to people who are and have been homeless. They expose some disconcerting truths about these state-supported lodgings, systemic attempts to remove vulnerable people from public view, and the catastrophic levels of homelessness lying hidden in the wings. Comedian Kai Samra joins us in the studio to take a look at some of the latest headlines on homelessness, and discuss what reporting on the topic often gets wrong.

Your hosts:

Mathilda Mallinson @mathildamall
Helena Wada @helenawadia

Your guests:

Kai Samra @kaisamra
Benjay Crossman @benjaycrossman
Earl Charlton @earljc78 @nehest2014
Kerri Douglas @kerridouglas18
Paul Atherton @LondonersLondon

Sources:

Introductory statistics: (official 1) https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/rough-sleeping-snapshot-in-england-autumn-2020/rough-sleeping-snapshot-in-england-autumn-2020 ; (official 2) https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1050291/Statutory_Homelessness_Stats_Release_July-September_2021.pdf ; (Crisis) https://www.crisis.org.uk/about-us/media-centre/227-000-households-across-britain-are-experiencing-the-worst-forms-of-homelessness/)
Profits for accommodation providers: https://amp.theguardian.com/world/2021/jun/27/hostels-from-hell-the-supported-housing-that-blights-birmingham
Care leavers: (Guardian) https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2019/nov/11/we-are-failing-children-in-care-and-they-are-dying-on-our-streets ; (official) https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-8429/CBP-8429.pdf
Vagrancy Act: https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-7836/
Prison releases: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1006474/2021_Q4_CPT_publication.pdf

Get in touch

Follow us on Twitter http://twitter.com/mediastormpod
or Instagram https://www.instagram.com/mediastormpod
or Tiktok https://www.tiktok.com/@mediastormpod
like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/MediaStormPod
send us an email [email protected]
check out our website https://mediastormpodcast.com
Music by Samfire @soundofsamfire. Artwork by Simba Baylon @simbalenciaga.
Media Storm is brought to you by the house of The Guilty Feminist and is part of the Acast Creator Network.

Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/media-storm.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices