Ending sofa surfing in Birmingham: A Story of support, housing and hope
Written by Sarah Gallagher, director of Birmingham Crisis Skylight
K is a woman in her 40s who approached Crisis in 2024 after having fled domestic abuse from her partner.
She had been sofa surfing with a friend for a few weeks because the council would only offer her shared accommodation which was unsuitable for her due to her physical and mental health conditions.
Crisis referred her to Community Law Partnership and they challenged the council and were successful in securing hotel temporary accommodation.
Whilst an improvement, it was not without its issues and was a very challenging, frightening and isolating time for her.
I supported her to register with Birmingham Choice (the council's housing register), obtain a mobility assessment and to apply for ground floor, level access properties.
CLP provided support again when she was offered a property that was on the other side of the city to her support network - she refused the offer and her banding was reduced to band D meaning that she could not apply for properties for 12 months.
The challenge was successful and 14 months after originally approaching Crisis, she secured a nice one-bedroom accommodation with a little garden.
She is delighted to have a secure home where she can focus on her health and recover from the stress and trauma of the previous 18 months.
Crisis has supported her to purchase some essential household items enabling her to create a homely environment. She feels that the Crisis coaching methodology has helped to improve her ability to navigate housing and benefit systems and increased her confidence, skills and self-efficacy.
At Crisis Skylight Birmingham, we support people who are experiencing homelessness or who are at risk of becoming homeless. This includes people who are rough sleeping, living in temporary accommodation, sofa surfing, or facing eviction.
Our services include:
- One-to-one support and casework to help people secure and sustain accommodation
- Housing advice and advocacy, including support with private rented sector access
- Employment and training support, including skills workshops and development opportunities
- Wellbeing and skills sessions to build confidence and independence
- Partnership working with local services to ensure people can access wider support such as health, benefits and safeguarding
Our focus is not only on resolving immediate housing crises but on supporting people towards longer-term stability and independence.
If you have a friend or relative who is sofa surfing
Sofa surfing is often a hidden form of homelessness. Even if someone is staying temporarily with friends or family, they may still be at risk.
If you know someone in this situation:
- Encourage them to seek advice as early as possible - even if they are not yet on the streets.
- Contact Crisis or the local council’s housing options team for guidance.
- Help them gather important documents (ID, tenancy agreements, eviction notices if relevant).
- Avoid waiting until a crisis point - prevention is always better than emergency intervention.
It’s important to recognise that sofa surfing arrangements can break down quickly, so early support can make a significant difference.
Homelessness is not inevitable, with the right support at the right time, it can be prevented.
By working collaboratively with local partners and businesses, we can ensure people facing housing insecurity in Birmingham have access to the support they need to rebuild their lives.
If you or your business would like to know how you can support Crisis please contact Sarah at [email protected]
How to approach Crisis
People can approach Crisis directly if they are experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness.
Contact Crisis Skylight Birmingham directly:
Phone number: 0121 348 7950
Email address: [email protected]
Website: https://www.crisis.org.uk/get-help/birmingham/
Opening hours:
Monday-Friday between 9 am to 5 pm
(please contact us before visiting if you can
We encourage early contact - the sooner someone seeks advice, the more options may be available to prevent homelessness.