Rough sleeping is the most visible sign of homelessness; where someone is totally roofless and has to sleep out on the streets.
Someone can also be classed as homeless but have somewhere to stay – either in temporary accommodation, some of which is provided by the council, or with family and friends, sometimes known as ‘sofa surfing’.
Other people classed as homeless remain in their own home but need to move out because it is unsuitable, overcrowded or they can no longer live there. This can be for a number of reasons such as their landlord giving them notice or circumstances change which means they can no longer afford the rent.
