Meet the photographer capturing UK homelessness – who became homeless himself

Back in 2019, long before Covid-19 and the lockdowns changed all of our lives, I reached out to Shelter to explore whether there might be something we could collaborate on. I was becoming increasingly concerned by what I was seeing unfold across the capital, particularly the growing number of people experiencing homelessness.

Then came lockdown. Life stopped. Priorities changed. The idea was shelved. Fast-forward to November 2024 and my own life, as I had known it for decades, changed forever. I found myself out of the family home, living in my car.

Rather than panic, I started observing. I noticed several other men parked up in their cars, seemingly doing exactly what I was doing. It made me wonder: if this was happening in one car park, how many other people across Britain were quietly living the same way?

I decided to turn my circumstances into a journey of discovery, documenting my life from my car, recording the daily realities and challenges of existing without a roof over my head. There have been periods when I’ve stayed with friends or my sister, house- and pet-sat, or helped friends with DIY projects. But I also lived through the harder realities: the winters, the -7°C mornings spent waking up in my car.

I became deliberately off-grid. I travelled around Britain, approaching people to listen to their stories and learn how they had arrived at where they were. I never photographed anyone during those early encounters. For me, this was homework. I wanted to understand.

What I encountered in Newcastle was different from Brighton. Liverpool had its own culture and challenges, just as Bristol did. Every town and city revealed different circumstances, different support networks and different stories.

Read more:

• Intimate portraits of home and homelessness at the new Centre for British Photography
• These striking photos of homeless people show the reality of life on Britain’s streets
• Here’s a unique side of London captured through the lens of homeless photographers

So I clocked up the miles, moving in and out of what most people would consider “normal life”, while simultaneously living in a car that became my home, and still is. Through Shelter I was given a contact in Liverpool: Ray, a severely sight-impaired former homeless man. I had no idea how significant that meeting would become. The warmth, passion and generosity I experienced genuinely changed me.

I have been profoundly moved by people who have, in many cases, lost almost every-thing. People who have hit rock-bottom, sometimes coming close to death, yet who still offered me whatever they had; their time, their stories, their friendship and their generosity.

Ray put out the feelers and began bringing together like-minded people who had walked similar paths. What I discovered was a genuine sense of community; people looking out for one another, people who understood.

My ambition is to create a powerful, honest and compassionate body of work that positively represents people who have experienced homelessness, including those who have managed to rebuild their lives.

I want their voices to be heard. I want to challenge perceptions. I want to educate and, ultimately, help generate funding for those who need it. Because perhaps the most important thing I have learned is incredibly simple: We are all human.

I still have a long way to go. There are around 18 towns and cities currently planned, all being well. The ultimate goal is to create 101 individual portraits and 101 individual stories, a collection that reflects the people behind the label and the experiences behind the statistics. I’m on the road, living from my car, meeting exceptional people whose stories deserve to be heard.

This project began with my own experience. It has become something much bigger. It is about humanity and resilience; dignity and connection.

The project continues. If you or someone you know would like to take part, please contact Brock Elbank via his website

Do you have a story to tell or opinions to share about this? Get in touch and tell us more. 

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