People with lived experience of homelessness have told us that:

• The system does not feel ‘human’ enough (for example, the professional language we use can have unintended negative consequences)
• There isn’t enough flexibility for those who are facing homelessness – for example, only telephone assessments rather than meeting face-to-face or services that are punitive if you miss appointments.
• It is very hard to know what you can and cannot access (for example, funding is often
  short term and fragmented, services have restrictive criteria and thresholds, approaches are too rigid for people experiencing homelessness)
• Being over-assessed and having to repeat your story multiple times can be retraumatising, exhausting and confusing
• Services often tend to focus on one issue at a time – and all this seems to come
  before your need for a home Stigma and discrimination is a major barrier (for example, feeling judged in waiting rooms, security guards at jobcentres, comments from professionals that feel negative or judgemental)