Exploring the Unseen Side of London and the Global Face of Homelessnes
Author: Rah X, Guide at Unseen Tours
At Unseen Tours, we’re not just showing people around London — we’re telling stories that don’t often get heard. I’m Rah, one of six tour guides with lived experience of homelessness. Together, we lead walking tours across London’s hidden corners, giving visitors an authentic perspective on our city — through the lens of resilience, history, and personal experience.
Finding My Way to Unseen Tours
My journey to Unseen Tours actually began over a decade ago. I first heard about it in a regional TV segment around 2010, but I missed the name and couldn’t find it again, despite lots of searching. Then, in the middle of lockdown in 2020, “Unseen Tours” popped up on my feed. Something clicked — and sure enough, it turned out to be the very organisation I’d heard about years earlier.
Fast forward a few more years, and I’ve now created and launched my own tour, based in Brixton and Stockwell — areas I know deeply, both through my upbringing and personal journey. My tour focuses on community migration and transport history — and, of course, on the realities of life that many don’t see.
What Travel Reveals (Especially About Homelessness)
When I guide people from all over the world, we often end up discussing housing and homelessness. It’s a topic that touches every country, but it looks very different depending on where you are.
In the UK, the roots of homelessness are tied to a shortage of affordable housing, cuts to social services, and the decline of council (public) housing. Many people rely on the private rental market, which is increasingly unaffordable, especially in cities like London.
In contrast, in the US — the situation is both similar and uniquely stark. Tent encampments are far more visible in cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco. The healthcare system, lack of national tenant protections, and extreme housing costs all play a role. Meanwhile, the safety nets (like access to temporary housing or social housing) can vary wildly by state or even city.
One thing we do share across borders? The way homelessness is misunderstood and often hidden - whether it’s sleeping rough, couch surfing, or stuck in temporary accommodation.
Housing Is a Global Issue and We Need Global Solutions
What I’ve realised from talking to travellers and locals alike is this: homelessness is not just a personal problem. It’s a systemic, global issue. Whether it’s in London, New York, Nairobi or New Delhi, the pressure to “own a home” has been pushed by governments and media alike, while the supply of affordable housing keeps shrinking.
We need global conversations about housing, especially at international summits where world leaders could begin to tackle the issue with the urgency it deserves. In the meantime, grassroots movements — and platforms like Unseen Tours — are doing the work to raise awareness and humanise the issue.
Tune In: Travel, Healing, and the Power of Storytelling
My colleague Jasmine Awad recently joined Globetrotter’s Podcast to talk more about this — how travel, new connections and storytelling can help people with experience of homelessness get back on their feet and build a future for themselves, and how being seen (and heard) matters more than ever. They also dive into how exploring new places can help us all grow, understand, and support each other better - and possibly find lasting solutions to global problems.
Listen to the episode: www.gtspodcast.com/ep108
Next Time You’re in London…
If you’re planning a trip to London, come walk with us. You’ll learn a lot more than just facts and history — you’ll see the city through a different lens. And even if you’re not travelling right now, you can still support our work by sharing our tours or donating to Unseen Tours.
Explore our tours and book an experience with us
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