You know that awkward moment—you’re holding a takeaway coffee, walking down Princes Street, and someone asks if you have any spare change. You think, "What could I actually give this person that helps?" The answer usually isn’t what most people expect. Forget the stories about fancy trainers or new gadgets. The most requested item by people experiencing homelessness? It’s socks. Plain, boring, but oh-so-valuable socks. Not money, not food, not even shelter—just clean socks.
What Homeless People Actually Need (And Ask For)
Let's clear up some big myths swirling around about what those without a place to call home really want. A few years back, I chatted with some outreach workers from Shelter Scotland and this simple truth stuck with me: "Everyone assumes it’s cash or a hot meal, but clean and dry socks come up time and again." Why? Living outside in places like Edinburgh—or anywhere it rains more than the sun shines—means wet feet are unavoidable. When you’re walking all day, it’s more than uncomfortable. Wet feet mean blisters, infections, and in the worst cases, trench foot. One young man told me, "You can’t do anything if you can’t walk. It’s the first thing to go." Shoes help, yes. But socks are what you need nearly every single day.
Studies from Glasgow and Manchester have backed this up. Outreach teams there see the same pattern, with socks, underwear, and basic hygiene items topping the wish list. A survey by Crisis UK in 2023 showed that 76% of rough sleepers named socks as a "priority item," above food or jackets. Think about that. Even local police on patrol carry spare socks in their kit bags—not as policy, but because someone always asks for them.
Where does the popular idea that "people only want money for drink or drugs" come from? Frankly, it’s a tired stereotype. Most requests are boringly practical: toothpaste, deodorant, plasters, fresh pants, period products. Food comes next, but usually something easy to eat, like protein bars or sandwiches that don’t need heating up. Drinks? Water over coffee if it’s a hot day. Every ask is shaped by weather, health, and where someone sleeps that night. Here’s a short list gathered from local volunteers that shows what gets requested most frequently:
- Socks (always clean, ideally new)
- Underwear (new only, for dignity reasons)
- Travel-size toiletries
- Wet wipes
- Period products
- First aid plasters
- Energy bars or simple food
- Reusable water bottles
- Gloves and hats in winter
Bags or rucksacks also sit high on the list. When you carry everything you own, a sturdy bag is gold. People may love the idea of donating second-hand sweatshirts, but if you walk around town with them for a day, they’re not practical. Small, everyday items that keep someone healthy matter most.
Where the Requests Come From: Stories and Stats from the Street
Picture the Cowgate at 7am. The store shutters haven’t rolled up yet. A few figures huddle quietly under the bridge. Even in summer, there’s a chill. Meeting places for Edinburgh’s homeless, whether it’s community cafes, shelters, or 24/7 hostels, carry the same conversation: "Any chance of socks?" They’ve slipped in and out of charity statistics, but when you talk to people face-to-face, it’s always socks. In a recent tally by Streetwork Edinburgh, volunteers handed out three pairs of socks for every packet of sandwiches on winter outreach runs. That’s not a typo.
Why is this request so persistent? Besides comfort—try lasting a week on the streets without a change of socks—it’s about self-respect. Dirty feet make you feel invisible. One woman, who spent months sofa-surfing across Leith, told me, "If you want to disappear, go without clean socks for a week. Nobody comes near you." That sense of being seen, even in small ways, starts with everyday dignity. Having fresh underwear or brushing your teeth is about hope, not luxury.
Now, if you’re picturing people lining up for food, you’re not wrong. But even at soup kitchens, volunteers get requests for hygiene kits over extra helpings. Every social worker I’ve met carries a grab-bag of basics: tampons, toothbrushes, tissues. Even dog food makes its way into these bundles (yup—lots of people on the street have pets as their family). Here’s some fast data to ground those stories:
| Item | Request Frequency (Monthly) | Stock Shortage Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Socks | 240 | 48% |
| Underwear | 200 | 42% |
| Toiletries | 310 | 51% |
| Food snacks | 175 | 21% |
| Period products | 110 | 67% |
What pops out is those shortages: it’s not that these aren’t being donated, but they don’t last long. Socks fly off charity shelves in two days or less. Period products almost never cover everyone who needs them. Edinburgh’s Bethany Christian Trust noticed, after a busy month last winter, their entire stock of female hygiene items was gone after only one week. Worth remembering: giving goes fastest when it’s practical and new.
One overlooked effect? Mental health. Studies from the University of Edinburgh in 2022 found that access to basic hygiene products like socks, toothpaste, and soap was linked to lower levels of anxiety among rough sleepers. It’s not just about physical survival—it’s about feeling human again. And you can’t slap a price tag on that.
How You Can Help: Don’t Guess, Just Ask
If you want someone to feel seen, skip the big gestures. Give what’s actually needed. Let’s talk action. The next time you’re cleaning out a cupboard, stop before you drop off those old T-shirts. Most charities and night shelters want new socks, pants, or toiletries in unopened packages. Hygiene and dignity go hand-in-hand—nobody wants someone else’s worn-out leftovers. If you’re tight on cash, sharing a travel-size toothpaste or donating a spare pack of socks from your grocery shop does more than rattling a cup of change.
The best advice from outreach workers? Ask staff what’s running low. Their answers shift with the seasons. In January, it’s gloves, hats, thermal underwear. Come summer, sunscreen and bug spray enter the mix. Even plasters become hot property, since feet get wrecked by walking all day. Here’s a handful of real tips from fellow Edinburgh residents who have worked or volunteered with local charities:
- Buy multipacks of socks; donate them still in the original packaging.
- For women’s products, think discreet and portable—small bags of pads or tampons fit in pockets and bags.
- Toiletries go further if they’re pocket-sized and don’t need water (wet wipes, dry shampoo, hand sanitizer).
- Consider reusable water bottles, especially in summer. Single-use water bottles do help, but reusable ones are even better when refills are available.
- If donating food, look for items that are easy to eat on the go (energy bars, crisps, bananas).
- For winter, thermal socks or gloves are in short supply but make a big difference.
Some people want to talk, others just want their basic needs met and to get on with their day. Respect that. If you’re offering something, don’t make it weird or patronising. A simple "Would you like a pair of socks?" goes a long way. If you’re nervous about approaching someone, drop donations at charity shops or outreach vans. Organisations like Social Bite, Cyrenians, and The Streetwork Project always keep updated lists of what they need most on their websites—easy to check before you shop.
One thing that makes the biggest impact? Consistency. It isn’t handing over a huge Christmas parcel once a year. It’s showing up with simple items—a pack of socks, a handful of toothpaste tubes, or bag of fruit bars—four or five times across the year. That’s what fills the gaps on the shelves, not flash drives or single big donations.
Another idea: stretch your impact by getting friends involved. Organise a "sock drive" at your work, your local pub, or your gym in March or September—right when supplies tend to run lowest. These practical moves, multiplying even modest donations, keep charities stocked up in the lean months.
You might not change the world, but you’ll definitely help someone keep going through one more cold night. Ditch the guesswork, listen to what people actually ask for, and act from there. Sometimes, it really is the small things—a pack of new socks, a travel toothbrush, a few spare minutes—that start to add up. Next time someone on the street catches your eye, you’ll know what to do.