Devon homeless charity looking at ways to support women - as it warns demand is increasing
Path Plymouth is warning as costs rise they expect demand to increase this Winter - and is calling for more focus nationally on the issue of homelessness
Last updated 17th Sep 2025
Work is underway to identify and help women in Plymouth who’ve become homeless.
Path Plymouth, which offers emergency accommodation and advice, are warning many women are too scared to sleep alone on the streets .
CEO Victoria Allen said: "At the minute we can see up to 100 people in any month sleeping on the streets but we know that women are underrepresented in those figures.
"Often to keep themselves safe they won't sleep in the usual spots, they might go to all night cafes or service stations or waiting rooms in hospitals."
She says work continues to look at how best to help women locally, adding: "We do want to look for it and we do want to find it and we want to speak with women who are experiencing homelessness to find and develop with them services that can really make a difference."
Earlier this year Greatest Hits Radio reported on how separate charity Path Torbay warned the number of women who are homeless could be up to ten times higher than official estimates.
Founder Kath Friedrich revealed a squat was shut down - because of fire risk - where 11 women were living together for safety.
The latest figures show that on average four households a day are now becoming homeless in Plymouth, and asking the council for help.
Ms Allen said: "Winter it just makes homelessness much more dangerous for people who are sleeping on the streets obviously - but for others there's lots of extra costs around heating, food and warm clothing and cold weather can increase the risk of illness as well.
"We're trying to focus on more emergency shelter so we're developing some partnership projects to try and increase the amount of emergency accommodation that's on offer during the colder months."
During 2024-25, Path Plymouth supported more than 1,700 people who were experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
The life-saving charity provides accommodation for 350 people on any given night alongside a wide range of services designed to meet people wherever they are on their journey out of homelessness.
According to Plymouth City Council's latest briefing (May 2025), demand for temporary housing in Plymouth remains high, with about 400 households (including 200 families with children) in temporary accommodation at any given time.
Path is a partner in the Plymouth Alliance, working alongside local agencies and Plymouth City Council to ensure homelessness is addressed holistically - through 'prevention, rapid response, and long-term, sustainable housing solutions'.
Ms Allen added: "As we celebrate 30 years of Path, this new brand reflects not just where we've come from, but where we're going. Every night, hundreds of people in Plymouth face the uncertainty of homelessness. Our refreshed identity is a symbol of hope and our continued determination to walk alongside - listening, supporting, and creating pathways to safe and secure homes.”
There's more about Path Plymouth and how to support the charity here