Before my housing situation became difficult, I had a lot of plans and aspirations. Becoming homeless taught me to be humble. It made me appreciate the basic things in life like shelter, food and water. Those were the things that took all of my focus. It's a very different kind of existence.
I became homeless as a result of a bad year. After living in the UK for over 20 years, this is the first time I've struggled with my housing and needed financial support from benefits. It started just before the pandemic when a long-term business plan failed. After that, my income was a bit sporadic. I had a few roles in hospitality but nothing stable and my savings were being depleted. I ended up in a situation where I could no longer pay the rent. My mental health was really suffering at this point and I was feeling very low. Being on the streets was painful and at first I didn't want help from anyone. It was hard to come to terms with losing everything.
Eventually, I accepted help from St Mungos who supported me into temporary accommodation. They helped me to start selling the Big Issue which was a true turning point for me. I had lost so much confidence over the year that I knew it would take a little while to get back. Selling the Big Issue gave me the flexibility to work when I felt I could but most importantly it showed me that people are so ready to help if you show that you're trying.
I'm now renting my own place which I'm affording through benefits. My goal is to get licensed as a security guard and find a job that pays the rent so that I don't need financial assistance anymore. I have a son who I send money back to so I'd love to have enough in order to support him and my family too.