About Us

Established by a group of homeless people, SHP began with one property in Pimlico in 1977. Today we provide a wide range of accommodation and support services to 6,000 people a year across 16 London boroughs. 

One of the key driving forces behind the early charity was a person who had experienced long-term homelessness, Dennis Handfield became SHP’s first worker and his emphasis on the rights of single homeless people and their need for respect and dignity has shaped our mission to reduce poverty, social exclusion and homelessness, and make a lasting improvement to our clients' quality of life.

Our services focus on:

• Minimising harm from substance misuse and helping people access appropriate treatment
• Working with the criminal justice system to break offending patterns and help offenders re-integrate into the community
• Supporting people with mental ill health who are leaving hospital or facing exclusion from other services
• Supporting young people to develop the skills they need to manage their own tenancies
• Enabling all clients to grow in confidence and develop appropriate life skills

More about our services