Shelter: Build a city

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Where the money goes

  • A £10 terraced house could pay for a ten minute call to Shelter’s free national helpline.
  • A £20 Victorian house could pay for a 'starting at school' pack to help a child who has been homeless settle into a new school.
  • A £100 Georgian house could help provide a detailed consultation with a trained housing adviser.
  • A £500 department store could help run a monthly housing advice surgery in a local community centre.

How do we help?

We offer practical support and expert advice to more than 170,000 people each year. We campaign for new laws and policies that will improve the lives of people in housing need.

  • Housing Aid Centres

    A UK-wide network of 28 centres giving face-to-face advice.

  • Housing advice helpline

    Taking more than 45,000 calls each year.

  • Homeless to Home and Families Projects

    Offering families help in finding and keeping permanent homes.

  • Campaigning

    We campaign for new laws and policies that will provide a long term solution to the housing crisis in the UK.

  • For every £1 given to Shelter

    Pie Chart: 70% services, projects, 28% invested, 1% management, 1% Housing grants

70p – Spent on services, projects, campaigns and education
28p – Is invested to generate new income
1p – Spent on Housing Aid Grants
1p – Spent on Management and administration

Who do we help?

By buying a part of the Shelter city you can help people like Lisa and her two children.

After escaping her abusive husband, Lisa was forced to move into a hostel with her two children, Natasha and Jake. They had to share one cramped room where shouting and swearing filtered through paper-thin walls. The family lived in these deplorable conditions for fourteen months. Jake became hyperactive, and was so desperate to escape the hostel he deliberately ran in front of a car. He just missed being injured.

In desperation, Lisa contacted us. We immediately got in touch with the authorities to question why the family had been left in temporary accommodation for so many months.

After many letters, phone calls and meetings, the council took action. Today Lisa, Jake and Natasha are living in a safe and permanent home.