A father sleeping rough on the streets of Birmingham has spoken of his profound heartache at being separated from his young daughter for years, a consequence of a past heroin addiction that cost him his home and family.
A Life Unravelled by Addiction
Stu, 43, was living in a rented property in Kingstanding with his ex-partner and their daughter until late 2018. His life took a devastating turn when his struggle with heroin led to him being forced out of the family home. He has been homeless ever since.
"I was a heroin addict," Stu told BirminghamLive, speaking candidly from the St Martin’s Queensway tunnel where he often sleeps for warmth. "I’ve been clean for a while now though. It’s not about that anymore."
His recovery, however, has not mended the rift with his child's mother. "I have a daughter I haven’t seen for years because of my past drug issues," he explained. "Her mum won’t let me. We rented together, but I was kicked out." The dad said he has lost touch and desperately wishes he could see her again.
The Daily Struggle of Street Life
Stu described the isolating reality of homelessness, stating he feels ignored by passers-by 95 per cent of the time because people assume he only wants money. While he appreciates those who stop to offer food, he said the presumption makes it a lonely existence.
He is trying to rebuild his life but faces immense barriers. "It’s not easy getting back on your feet," Stu said. "It’s very hard to do it without a roof over your head. Getting a job...it's not really on the cards."
He spoke of the community among those on the streets, who look out for one another, but also acknowledged the prevalence of addiction and trauma. For some, like Stu, the choice to sleep rough is also a conscious one to avoid crisis shelters where they might be surrounded by active drug use.
The Scale of Homelessness in the West Midlands
The personal story of Stu is set against a backdrop of a significant regional homelessness crisis. Data from youth homelessness charity Centrepoint reveals a stark picture:
- 7,603 young people were homeless in the West Midlands in 2023/2024.
- Across the UK, the charity estimates one in 62 young people faced homelessness that year.
- It calculates that one young person becomes homeless every four minutes.
Local charity St Basils, which supports young people aged 16-25, provided key figures for 2024/2025:
- 4,118 young people received advice and support.
- 1,685 were actively supported by the charity during the year.
- 1,053 lived in one of its 40-plus accommodation schemes.
- 91% of young people moved on from St Basils in a positive, planned way.
Birmingham City Council emphasised its commitment to ending rough sleeping. A spokesperson said: "The council and our commissioned partners... are committed to ensuring that no one need sleep rough on the streets of Birmingham. There is a bed space for anyone requiring it throughout the year."
The council's Outreach Team operates seven days a week. The Government’s official annual rough sleeper count for Birmingham, conducted on a single night in 2024, recorded 59 people. The 2025 figure will be published in February 2026.
For those seeking help or concerned about someone at risk: The national referral service StreetLink can be contacted online. St Basils' Youth Hub can be reached on 0300 303 0099 for under-25s. Birmingham City Council's homelessness services are available on 0121 303 7410 (option 3, Mon-Fri 9am-5pm) or 0121 303 2296 for out-of-hours support for adults.
