Computershare Loan Services and the Deposit Protection Service (the DPS) have donated £40,000 to national youth homeless charity Depaul UK for the third consecutive year.
The donation comes at a time when the charity is experiencing increased demand for its services, with the number of young people contacting its nightstop service, which places young adults in safe, volunteer homes across the UK, rising 38% since 2022.
Depaul UK also said that the number of calls it has received from young people accessing its London-based housing advice service increased by 350% between Q2 2022 and Q1 2023.
Nicola Harwood, executive director of services at Depaul UK, said: “We are thrilled that Computershare has decided to continue to support our role in helping young people to escape or avoid homelessness, achieve financial independence and progress into long‑term education, training or sustainable employment.
“Current cost-of-living pressures means that some of our clients are finding it increasingly difficult to fund basic living needs, for example, their monthly bills or toiletries.
“This donation will help support our carefully-trained staff to encourage clients to tell us about their issues and work with us to develop money management strategies to improve their financial well-being.”
Matt Trevett, managing director at the DPS, added: “We are delighted to be able to continue to help Depaul UK to support some of the most vulnerable in society during the current cost-of-living crisis.”
Andrew Jones (pictured), managing director at Computershare Loan Services, said: “Our employees are proud of our support for Depaul UK’s tireless work supporting young people throughout the coronavirus pandemic and beyond.”
A recent survey by the charity with people who are supported by Depaul UK but don’t live in Depaul UK-run accommodation reveals that more than 91% of respondents said they were cutting their energy use and borrowing money from friends or family members in order to reduce their costs.
More than a third (39%) of the same group also told the organisation they were using food banks more in 2023 compared with 2022.
More than three quarters (77%) of the group told the charity that they worried about the cost-of-living.
