Photo: Ronnie Oakley
A man has gone viral on Tik Tok after setting up a GoFundMe to help him escape homelessness, and find permanent housing.
Ronnie Oakley, 21, has been homeless for two years. Despite keeping a private life by not disclosing his location or exact situation, Ronnie recently started creating TikTok content showcasing his day-to-day life as he attempts to secure permanent housing.
Ronnie claims that an unnamed council is unwilling to help him, forcing him to sofa surf; he now relies on donations which are put towards hotel rooms and food, as well as the generosity of anyone who offers him a room in their house.
He says: “I suffer with ASD and anxiety/depression. The council won’t help and told me to look for private renting so I’ve set up a go fund me. I’ve been homeless since I was 19, my family don’t help me and I just want to live my life.
“I’m 21, I struggle really hard to find work and keep work and no matter how hard I try I can’t do well enough and feel like things are coming to an end for me. I just want a family and to prove to everyone I can be good enough,” Ronnie added.
Ronnie’s TikTok, which features content such as day in the life videos, has reached 20,000 followers in less than a month.
@homless.ron My birthday Friday 🙏🏻❤️ #homless #help #fyp ♬ original sound – mixermami
According to Centrepoint’s latest figures, 123,934 young people aged 16-24 either faced or were at risk of homelessness in 2024-25. This represents a 6% rise in reported cases since 2023/34.
Sadly, the leading cause of youth homelessness remains family breakdowns, with more than half of the reported cases involving families who are unwilling or unable to provide support and accommodation.
Ronnie’s GoFundMe, which was set up to raise funds towards temporary housing, has now amassed £2400 in donations in less than three weeks. Ronnie is now less than £200 away from his initial target of £2600, which will be spent on rent and food.
Anyone who wishes to donate to Ronnie, or learn more about his story, can do so here.
READ MORE: ‘‘I RAN A HOMELESS CHARITY, AND I WAS HOMELESS’
READ MORE: HOW TIKTOK HAS HELPED SAM GAIN CONFIDENCE IN HIMSELF
