Aryan called the Centrepoint Helpline after he had begun rough sleeping when he was no longer able to stay in the family home. He reached out to the local council for support, but was told by them that he was not a priority. Not knowing where else to turn, he called the Centrepoint Helpline who were able to refer him to a local support centre.
Reaching out to the Helpline
Aryan first called the Centrepoint Helpline in September after he had begun rough sleeping after no longer being able to stay in his home. He had a part time job working as a cleaner but at that moment, was unable to find somewhere affordable to live in such a short period of time.
“I called Centrepoint when I was in a really bad position. If I remember correctly, it was September 2025. I did not have a place just a part-time job.”
After having no other options for housing, he began rough sleeping and he reached out to his local council to explain his situation and that he was in need of support. However, despite him evidencing that he was rough sleeping, they told him that he was not a priority need and that they were unable to help him. He had lived in that area for many years, was working part-time and in need of emergency housing but was still denied the support which he was legally entitled to – this is what is often referred to as ‘council gatekeeping’.
“I visited the council where I was told that even being eligible, I still don’t “fit the priority list” therefore they cannot help me with housing or as a matter of fact they cannot help me in any way. “
Not knowing where to turn, he had heard about the Centrepoint Helpline and spoke with an advisor about his situation and how he had been denied support through the council. After listening to his experiences and reviewing his living situation, the team made a referral for him to go to a local support service. There he would get a dedicated case worker to find out what additional help he was eligible for and find him a place to stay.
Securing emergency accommodation
After visiting the support organisation, they were able to find him a room in an emergency accommodation, where he could stay for a couple of weeks.
“After getting in touch with Centrepoint, I was advised to visit a local charity where I met a case worker. After explaining my situation to him, I was grateful to have been booked a 2 week stay in a hostel.”
Having this stable space allowed him to work out his finances, speak with his employer and apply for a couple more jobs to help him make a longer-term plan. As he had been a practicing lawyer in his home country of India, he channelled his energy into finding roles that matched his skillset and before long found an intern position to help him on this career path in the UK.
Being able to have somewhere consistent for a couple of weeks, gave him the much-needed head space to make sense of his experiences and get into a place where he was ready to make a clear plan for his next steps. After extending the hostel booking for a few more weeks, he had been able to save up enough to afford to move into a flat of his own.
“From there once I had a roof over my head, I managed my jobs, had interviews for a legal job, as back home in India, I was a lawyer. I got selected as a legal intern and after the help I received from the local charity, I extended the hostel booking for an additional 2 weeks. I kept moving hostels till in the month of November when I was able to afford my own flat.”
Moving into his own space
For Aryan, looking back on his journey, he’s seen how far he has come in a short period of time and the impact of working with Centrepoint and the local support organisation in helping him back into a place of stability. After being turned away by the council for support, knowing that there were organisations out there who could support him has allowed Aryan to take important steps forward in his journey towards independence and a promising future in the law.
“Looking back at things and how far I have come, I feel blessed and grateful for the help of Centrepoint and Ace of Clubs.”
Aryan has been in his new home for a couple of months now and has been working in his job as a legal intern as well as managing a few part-time roles to help him pay the bills and keep his forward momentum going.
“Now I’m a legal intern and I also work as a contractor with an agency”.
Looking to the future
Aryan has a clear goal in mind for what his next steps look like, which is getting his qualification under his belt as a solicitor so that he can practice law in the UK. Taking on different part-time jobs has meant that he can now begin to save up for the exams, whilst managing his tenancy, and make clear plans for his future.
“My goal is to qualify as a solicitor and clear the SQE for which I have started saving and planning accordingly.”
Aryan has reflected on his experiences which led him to reaching out to Centrepoint and how having a clear goal in mind and something to strive towards kept him moving forwards. Despite not getting access to the support he needed to begin with from the council, he did not let this discourage him and he has channelled his energy into working towards his goal of being a lawyer.
He also credits where he is now with surrounding himself with happy people to keep him going, even when things feel tough.
“The only advice I can give to young people like me who were not privileged at some point is never give up and stay true to the goals. Being poor is only romantic in the movies. Those efforts should be turned into a constant state of flow and just keep going. Also surround yourself with happy people. It helps.”
We are so pleased that Aryan was able to get the support he deserved, which has been the springboard he needed to drive himself towards his goals. We wish him all the best as he sits his qualifications and for what the future holds.
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With your donation, we can support more young people like Aryan who are experiencing rough sleeping to find the right support and find stable housing.
