Pret Is Opening A London House For Homeless People To Live In

Charity West London Mission (WLM) will manage Pret House, with residents paying monthly rent at an affordable rate relative to their wages. They will live there for 6-12 months before moving into a privately rented home, according to a statement from Pret. 

Once they’ve transitioned, the house will continue to take on new homeless people. The ambition is to help at least 20 homeless people get off the streets by the end of the year.

“This initiative is a positive way for people making their journeys out of homelessness to be supported back into employment,” Jon Sparkes, chief executive at Crisis, told HuffPost UK.

Being out of work is both a major cause and consequence of homelessness, said Sparkes. Research by Crisis shows 97% of homeless people want to work, but they need the right support. “They cannot be rushed, forced or sanctioned into employment,” he added.