A sofa provides a comfortable place to sit and relax and living without one can highlight the stigma attached to living in furniture poverty.
“Living without a sofa was horrible because I just felt like I wasn’t providing a basic thing for my daughter. I felt ashamed, my daughter shouldn’t be living like this. And obviously I don’t have visitors. They say we’ll pop round and come and see your new place, and I’m like no, I’ll come to you.” – Anne, on living without a sofa
There are at least 740,000 people living without a sofa or easy chairs to sit on.
A sofa is much more than just a place to sit down. It is symbol of comfort, a place to unwind together as a family, a place to sit and discuss issues with support workers, and a place to entertain guests.
“You’re far less likely to invite a social worker or housing officer into your home if you haven’t got a sofa for them to sit on.”
