“A country is judged not just on, you know, how well the big shiny stuff is doing. We ought to be a country that gives dignity to everybody who lives here. It may not be a vote winner, but that doesn’t mean it’s not an important issue,” he told Big Issue.
“I really think governments unfortunately focus too much on stuff that’s going to win in the next election, or get them headlines with newspapers. If we’re not a country that can stop thousands of people having to sleep on the street every night, then clearly there’s a massive box that we’re not ticking as a country that values human life.”
Recent analysis by the FT found that one in every 200 households in the UK is experiencing homelessness.
Rough sleeping is also on the rise, particularly in big cities. The most recent annual count showed 13,231 rough sleepers spotted on London’s streets between April 2024 and March 2025. That’s record high and a 10% increase on the previous year’s total
“Anybody who lives in a city is aware of it and feels that they want to do more, but doesn’t always know how to do more,” said Unger-Hamilton.
“Even as children it’s something that you have to learn about and something that you are confronted with. It’s very hard to understand, and it’s hard to understand as an adult too. There is no short, satisfying answer to why people have to sleep outside.”
Advertising helps fund Big Issue’s mission to end poverty
Unger-Hamilton’s bandmate Adam Buxton echoed this, calling on politicians to prioritise the homelessness crisis.
“There have been times in the past when the government has been able to make changes to the rate of homelessness and it’s hard to see why that isn’t still a priority and I would vote for any government that did make it a priority,” he told Big Issue.
Under New Labour, Tony Blair all-but ended rough sleeping. Nearly two decades later, homelessness has reached record highs.
Keir Starmer’s Labour today announced an £84 million cash boost to help families in temporary accommodation pay for essentials ahead of winter. It will also help organisations house rough sleepers.
Emma Haddad, chief executive of St Mungo’s, welcomed the money, but called for a longer term strategy.
“That is a big slug of money that’s been announced today, and it will make a difference. And it will make a difference specifically going into the winter when you know you’ve got people who are going to be freezing if we don’t try and get them inside,” she told Big Issue.
Advertising helps fund Big Issue’s mission to end poverty
“But that’s not a way that you solve homelessness. That’s not a sustainable slug of money. It’s a one-off injection for the winter.
“We need sustainable funding so we know how we can run services and we can keep supporting people for as long as they need us, and essentially prevent people from falling into homelessness in the first place.
Homelessness “can happen to anybody”, she continued.
“We meet people [with] who actually, until recently, everything was completely fine, and they had a house, and they had a family and they had a job,” she said.
“And then one thing can change, and it leads to a spiral of things, and suddenly you’re sleeping on the streets.”
Do you have a story to tell or opinions to share about this? Get in touch and tell us more.
Advertising helps fund Big Issue’s mission to end poverty
Reader-funded since 1991 – Big Issue brings you trustworthy journalism that drives real change.
Every day, our journalists dig deeper, speaking up for those society overlooks.
Could you help us keep doing this vital work? Support our journalism from £5 a month.
