Former homeless man tells James O'Brien that 'we need to lower the ladder' to help
Thomas shares his personal story on LBC with James O'Brien
A former homeless man who was displaced for eight years has shared his emotional story on air on LBC with James O'Brien.
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Thomas called in to share his experiences and say how he has now started a hostel for the homeless.
His comments come after Andy Burnham launched a campaign to end rough sleeping in the UK by the end of 2026.
The latest annual national statistics, published by the Government in February, estimated there were 4,793 people sleeping rough on a single night in autumn 2025 in England.
This was a new record high and the fourth annual increase in a row and at that stage, 43% of all people sleeping rough were in London and the South East.
The Prime Minister, who pledged as his “first instruction” on day one in No 10 “to end rough sleeping in our country”, suggested people living on the streets has begun to become accepted over the years.
He said: “No one should have to bed down in a doorway or outside a station. But we’ve seen it for so long that it feels like Westminster has started to accept it.
“I won’t accept it. That’s why my first instruction as Prime Minister was to end rough sleeping. And it’s why today we’re getting started with a national drive to get everyone in for Christmas."
Listen to Thomas speak to James O'Brien in the video above.