07/10/2026
🏠 Case Study: Finding a place to start again
Earlier this year, a 22-year-old man came to Wintercomfort after becoming homeless.
He returned to the UK after his father died in Spain, where they had been living together. Following his father’s death, he dealt with the legal arrangements and funeral before returning to the UK to live with his mum in East Cambridgeshire. When that arrangement became unsustainable, he found himself without a home.
When he came to Wintercomfort in May, our team identified that his local connection was in East Cambridgeshire. We supported him to make a referral to East Cambridgeshire District Council and signposted him to Centre 33 - supporting young people in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, which can help young people under 25 access accommodation.
He continued coming to Wintercomfort for advice and support while sofa surfing between friends and family. We helped him communicate with the council, gather the paperwork needed for his housing case and stayed in regular contact with his housing officer to make sure his situation continued to be followed up.
There were setbacks along the way. While sofa surfing, he got into trouble with the police and was placed on bail. This created additional difficulties when looking for accommodation, while private renting was also difficult to afford on his available Universal Credit.
We continued to look at different options with him. When he was offered an assessment with the YMCA in Cambridge, he came to Wintercomfort for support. A member of our team accompanied him through the process, helping him explain his circumstances and making sure the assessor understood the support he had needed.
He was offered a place that same day.
Now, with accommodation secured, he is looking ahead. He is considering work or an apprenticeship and thinking about what he wants his next steps to be.
He told our team he was excited to have accommodation and the opportunity to start building his life with support around him.
For privacy, we are not using his name or photograph. He wants to be able to move forward with his life without his experience following him, while still being happy for his story to be shared anonymously so that it can help others understand what homelessness can look like, and how practical support can make a difference.
At Wintercomfort, housing support isn't just about finding somewhere to live. It is about helping people navigate the barriers along the way and giving them the support they need to move forward.
