Celal had built a life for himself in London. He had friends, a flat, and was working as an actor. But it all fell apart during the pandemic. His work ran out, and he couldn’t claim benefits because he wasn’t a British citizen. Celal felt he had nowhere else to turn and became homeless on the street. We gave Celal a place to regroup, giving him the support he needed to get back on his feet. Now, he’s pursuing his passion for acting again and hoping to star in a full-length film.
“Life was going great. I had a flat in Primrose Hill, worked as a corporate actor, and had a producer job. Homelessness wasn’t something I ever expected. But as soon as the pandemic hit, my work stopped, I had no safety net, and I couldn’t pay my rent.
“I went to the Council for support. But I was still waiting for my citizenship. So, I couldn’t claim benefits or get any support.
“I’ve lived in London for eight years; it’s my home. I’ve got family back in Turkey, but I don’t want to go back. I didn’t even tell my family when I became homeless. The only place I could turn to was the streets.”
Left without support
Despite living and working in the UK for years, Celal wasn’t entitled to welfare support—a situation called ‘no recourse to public funds.’ Thousands of people pushed into homelessness every year are in a similar situation. With no safety net to fall back on when a crisis hits, these people have no choice but to rough sleep—and are often trapped there long-term.
“I was homeless on the street on and off for over two years. I slept in parks when I could. But finding somewhere to sleep was a struggle every night. I would get kicked out of places early in the morning and forced to sleep elsewhere.
“No one even noticed me, and when they did, they gave me strange looks, looking down on me; I didn’t feel human.
“Although I had some savings, it was just enough to get by. I used Too Good To Go to buy food, eating one big meal a day. I was also told about places where I could shower and stay clean while living on the streets. It was hard, but somehow, I made it work.”
Finding a home again
After his British citizenship came through, Celal could claim welfare support. The Routes of the Streets outreach team found him and referred him to our Camden Rough Sleepers Hub. We gave him what he needed most: a place to recover, rebuild his life and pursue his childhood dream of acting again.
“I was amazed the minute I walked into my hostel room. The room was massive and had high ceilings. I was so happy to be there.
“The staff were such good people who really cared about me. They would always go above and beyond for me.
I was at the hostel for about two months but could’ve stayed for years; it was like a hotel. The chef, James, made the tastiest food. It could be Michelin star-worthy.
“I will always be thankful to those who helped me get housing and supported me on my journey.”
Getting back to normal
After a short stay at the hostel, we supported Celal into a self-contained hostel studio in Camden. There, he is building skills for independent living. He has access to tailored on-site support.
“It’s great to have a place to call my own. I miss all the wonderful staff at Single Homeless Project, but I’m delighted with where I am now.
“My life is stable for the first time in years. I no longer worry about where I will sleep and if I will have enough money to eat.
“And I’ve started doing some acting work. I’m learning the piano. It’s all coming back.
“I still have a few habits I picked up from the streets—I wake up a lot at night and eat one big meal. But it finally feels like my life is normal again.”
In a few months, Celal went from being an actor with a flat in one of London’s priciest areas to being homeless and sleeping on the street.
Homelessness can happen to anyone, but with the right support, it can be ended.
Every year, we support over 12,000 Londoners out of homelessness and into a place to call home for good.
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