On 22 January 2017, Christian communities across the UK marked Homeless Sunday. This annual event in the churches’ calendars provides a focus for recalling the biblical imperative to give shelter to people without a home.
To support the event, ‘Action and Advocacy: a Christian response to homelessness’, was published. The statement, co-signed by Caritas Social Action Network as the official agency of the Catholic Church on domestic social issues including housing and homelessness, attempts to unite the voices of the many Christian organisations engaged in work on homelessness. The signatories aim for better partnership work with Government at national and local levels, to improve responses to homelessness. In practice the statement calls on the Government to engage in regular meetings with the churches, and to deliver a comprehensive, long-term national strategy to address homelessness in England.
