Ten photos of London’s hidden homeless

Above: Waterloo station

I started noticing a rise in rough sleeping in London, writes Rosie Hallam. I don’t know whether there had been that increase but I became aware of more people who seemed to be living on the streets.

These people seem to be invisible. We don’t look too hard – just walk past, maybe sometimes giving them some money or food or a hot drink. But generally we don’t engage with the street homeless. Even if we do notice them or glance over, they are still an invisible group.

I thought it might be interesting to photograph the possessions that go with rough sleeping. The sleeping bag, the cardboard mat, newspapers, food cartons, cups and cans.

These doorways, corners and underpasses are where homeless people live, often returning to the same place each night.

Old Street station, EC1

The Strand, WC2

The Strand, again…

Piccadilly Circus, W1

Dover Street, W1

The Broadway, Stratford

York Place, WC2

Waterloo Station underpass, SE1

Picadilly W1