THE CHALLENGES / WHY WE EXIST
The problems overlap. So must the response.
Behind every headline is a person, a family or a place with strengths worth building on. Poverty, insecure housing, loneliness, exclusion and a lack of influence often reinforce one another. Communities need practical help and a genuine say in what happens next.
EVIDENCE / ENGLAND AND THE UK
The scale is real. So are the people behind it.
The figures below describe wider conditions. They are not ACE Impact outcomes, and they do not replace listening to people locally.
4,793
Rough sleeping
People estimated to be sleeping rough on one night in England in autumn 2025 — the highest level recorded using the current approach. This is a single-night estimate, not the total number experiencing homelessness.
7%
Often or always lonely
Of people aged 16 and over in England reported frequently feeling lonely in the 2025/26 Community and Engagement Survey. The figure was 14% among disabled people.
26%
Feel able to influence
Of adults in England felt they could influence decisions affecting their local area in 2025/26; 59% said being able to influence those decisions mattered to them.
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Respond to the immediate need. Strengthen what comes next.
Safety and stability
People need secure places to sleep, practical support and access to trusted services. Emergency help matters — and so do routes into longer-term stability.
Connection and belonging
Loneliness is more than being alone. Shared spaces, familiar faces and meaningful activities can make everyday participation easier.
Voice and opportunity
Having ideas is not the same as being heard. Community development helps people build confidence, influence decisions and put local priorities into action.
OUR APPROACH
We start with assets, not deficits.
Communities are not simply collections of problems to be fixed. People already have experience, relationships, local knowledge and determination. ACE works to connect those strengths with the support, resources and opportunities needed to achieve change.
We also recognise the limits of any single project. A garden visit will not solve poverty; a workshop cannot replace statutory services. But together, practical action, community voice and stronger local organisations can make a meaningful contribution.
LOCAL EVIDENCE MATTERS
National figures are a starting point. Not a local answer.
Before deciding what a community needs, we should listen to its people and check the local evidence. Our projects are shaped by lived experience, local partnerships and learning from delivery — not national statistics alone.
EVIDENCE NOTE
Statistics reflect their stated geography, reference period and measurement method. Sources are linked at the point of use. These figures are not presented as claims about Basildon or as proof of ACE Impact’s effectiveness.