Free PO boxes could help homeless people escape 'catch-22' keeping them on streets, report finds

Homeless people are getting stuck in a “catch-22” situation, where without a postal address they are denied access to public services and kept on the streets, the government has been warned.

Individuals without a fixed home are suffering “serious consequences” by missing out on important correspondence relating to benefits, housing and healthcare, according to a new report by Citizens Advice.

The charity, which is the statutory consumer watchdog for postal services, called on Royal Mail to provide a PO box-style service to help homeless people receive post – an idea the firm says it is “very open” to.

It also urged the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government to conduct a review into mail provision for people without a permanent address and for upgrades to the poste restante system, which allows individuals to send and receive mail from Post Office branches.

Jon Sparkes, chief executive of Crisis, said the homeless charity heard “every day” of cases in which people without a permanent address were struggling for support with a number of basic services.

“This often means that vital appointments and information is missed – sometimes resulting in benefit sanctions – making the already complex steps out of homelessness even more difficult to navigate,” he added.

Interviews with homeless people and surveys of more than 300 Citizens Advice advisers across the country found many people become trapped in a “catch-22” – prevented from accessing support with housing, healthcare and benefits by the very fact they are homeless.

Around 80 per cent of advisers said the lack of a physical address frequently caused barriers for homeless clients trying to access benefits, while 70 per cent reported similar issues with bank accounts.

The research highlighted the plight of several real people, including a homeless man named only as Joe, who was sanctioned after missing a letter from the Jobcentre because he was using several addresses belonging to family and friends for correspondence.

A second man, Nick, was sleeping rough when he missed a letter from the council offering him a flat, resulting in him spending another three months on the street before alternative accommodation became available.

Royal Mail said it was already exploring the idea of providing PO boxes for homeless people, but needed to establish if such addresses would be regarded as valid by public bodies such as the NHS and the Department for Work and Pensions.

“We are very open to the idea of providing PO boxes for homeless people,” a spokesman said. “In fact, this is something we have looked at before and which we proactively discussed with Citizens Advice. We wish to play our part in helping to solve this issue.”

Minister for housing and homelessness Heather Wheeler MP said: “We will continue to engage with Citizens Advice on this work and it is encouraging to see that the Post Office have committed to playing their role in supporting those without a fixed address.

“Having somewhere to stay and a place to call home is vital in helping those who are homeless rebuild their lives, and we are determined to make this a reality.”