Everyone deserves a loving environment and a comfortable place to live, no matter their identity or sexual orientation. Sadly, this isn’t always the case, as the National Housing Association reported that as many as 24% of young people experiencing homelessness are LGBTQ+.
To begin making a positive change, we must understand the causes of LGBTQ+ youth homelessness and the specific challenges faced by this group in order to provide specialist support catered to their needs. Continue reading to learn more about the issue and the efforts being made to overcome it.
Before we get started
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What is LGBTQ+ youth homelessness?
LGBTQ+ youth homelessness refers to young people who are homeless due to rejection or abuse related to their sexual orientation or gender identity.
It’s important to remember that the LGBTQ+ community consists of a diverse range of individuals with various backgrounds and identities, which leads to varying experiences of homelessness.
Each individual faces different challenges determined by their specific circumstances. With that in mind, it’s difficult to cover every unique aspect which might cause one LGBTQ+ person’s experience of homelessness to differ from the next. However, we can identify some of the common themes of LGBTQ homelessness in the UK.
LGBTQ+ youth homelessness in the UK
Due to the factors often associated with LGBTQ+ homelessness (which we will discuss in more detail later), the issue tends to impact young people the most.
LGBTQ+ individuals contribute significantly to the rise in youth homelessness seen in the UK. Nearly a quarter of young people experiencing homelessness are LGBTQ+. Meanwhile, the most recent census data states that only 6.91% of people aged 16-24 in England and Wales identified as LGB+, highlighting a huge disparity between the number of young LGBTQ+ people experiencing homelessness when compared to the whole population.
The statistics paint a worrying picture of LGBTQ+ youth homelessness in the UK. The concerning situation is compounded by the fact these stats might not paint the full picture. Homelessness exposes many LGBTQ+ people to dangers, pushing them to seek shelter in unfit, crowded, or abandoned places, often evading support systems.
No young person should be forced to live without a suitable, loving home, regardless of their sexuality. You have the power to help those experiencing youth homelessness by donating today.
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Causes of LGBTQ+ youth homelessness in the UK
In addition to the wider-known root causes of homelessness, LGBTQ+ people often face further challenges leaving them at greater risk of experiencing homelessness. Many of these challenges stem from prejudice and discrimination they may face in several areas of society.
Understanding the causes of LGBTQ+ youth homelessness is vital to tackling the problem at the source, helping young people avoid homelessness and supporting those already experiencing it.
Family rejection
Family rejection is the most common cause of homelessness among LGBTQ+ youth in the UK. Young people discover a lot about who they are in their teens and early twenties, making it very common for young people to open up to their families about their sexuality at this stage.
However, many young people don’t receive the acceptance and support they were hoping for. Negative responses from parents and loved ones can vary from emotional neglect to outright expulsion from the home. Either way, young LGBTQ+ people are sometimes left feeling unwelcome, giving little to no choice but to leave the family household.
Akt, a specialist UK homeless LGBTQ+ youth charity supported by our Frontline Fund, has conducted an in-depth survey on the experiences of homelessness for young LGBTQ+ people. Of the people surveyed, 50% said they feared expressing their identity to family members would lead to them being evicted. Additionally, only 13% of LGBTQ+ young people said they felt supported by parents or stepparents when experiencing homelessness. This lack of familial support is not only a cause of homelessness, but can also contribute to additional challenges such as mental health issues which further elevate the difficulties of facing homelessness at a young age.
While tension at home might be ongoing for some time after a young person comes out about their sexuality, there’s often a particular event or argument which prompts the final decision to leave home. The sudden circumstances can mean there’s not enough time to arrange alternative accommodation compounded by the lack of available social housing. Young people in this position often find themselves sofa-surfing between friends, or living in unsuitable properties.
Akt is just one of the incredible charities striving to understand and support young LGBTQ+ people both at risk of and currently experiencing homelessness. Their work is only possible thanks to your generosity.
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Religious exclusion
Another main factor that might cause a young person to be rejected by their loved ones because of their sexuality is religion. Back in 2019, the BBC reported on research conducted by akt stating that, of the young LGBTQ+ people who cited family rejection as the cause of their homelessness, 45% identified with a faith background. While the figures are somewhat dated now, they do indicate that this is a very real issue that is still present today.
Particular religions hold strong, traditional values which aren’t accepting of non-heterosexual people. Strict adherence to religious beliefs can lead families to shame or disown family members of a different gender identity or sexuality, contributing to a rise in LGBTQ+ homelessness.
Like akt, Caring in Bristol is another charity supported by our Frontline Fund, striving to support all young vulnerable people in Bristol, including LGBTQ+ individuals. Their ambitious Z House project, an emergency shelter for young people forced into a housing crisis, is close to being finalised as a result of the funding you’ve provided.
Abuse and threatening behaviour
The discrimination LGBTQ+ individuals face from loved ones can often extend to physical harm, making them feel not only unwelcome, but in some cases too frightened to stay at home. Akt’s research also found that 61% of young LGBTQ+ people experiencing homelessness felt threatened by family members before deciding to leave home, and 7% said the same about romantic partners.
In many cases, the fear of emotional or physical abuse prompts young LGBTQ+ people to leave home despite having no suitable alternative accommodation. If they’re unable to stay with friends or more accepting family members, they’re left with little choice but to shelter wherever they can.
Given the difficulties of securing somewhere to stay independently, young LGBTQ+ people experiencing homelessness often turn to risky behaviour as a means of putting a roof over their head. Akt’s report states that 17% of LGBTQ+ people experiencing homelessness felt they had to have casual sex in return for accommodation. Getting into a situation like this presents its own risk of danger or abuse, meaning many LGBTQ+ people don’t escape this threat even after deciding to flee their home.
Discrimination by LGBTQ+ youth homelessness support systems
While there are support networks available to both improve experiences of LGBTQ+ youth homelessness, and to help young people make better lives for themselves, there are several faults with the system.
Additional statistics provided by akt state only 44% of the young LGBTQ+ people surveyed were aware of any housing support, and 24% weren’t aware of any support services available to them whatsoever. This points to a severe lack of provision and signposting to show young people where they should go and what they should do if they need help, often leaving them to fend for themselves.
Furthermore, those who do seek support don’t always have a positive experience. The research by akt goes on to say only 35% of young LGBTQ+ who accessed a service while experiencing homelessness recall being asked to disclose information about their gender identity or sexual orientation, and only 33% felt safe to do so.
Failure to make young people feel comfortable enough to speak freely about their sexuality, or to even ask about it to begin with, can cause LGBTQ+ people to feel like they aren’t understood or cared about, creating a negative impression of homelessness support services.
This lack of awareness within the support network is highlighted in the fact that, of the LGBTQ+ people surveyed, 59% experienced some form of discrimination or harassment while accessing services, as reported by akt.
Research by homelessness charity, Shelter, states that 25% of trans individuals have experienced homelessness at some point in their lives and one form of discrimination they commonly face is ‘dead-naming’, whereby they’re referred to using the name they were given at birth.
While people may not want to intentionally cause offence, it’s another example of how a lack of effort and understanding may cause young LGBTQ+ people experiencing homelessness to not engage with support services.
TGP Cymru, a Welsh children’s charity supported by our Frontline Fund, helps the most vulnerable and marginalised children, young people, and families access the appropriate services in health, education, and social care to reduce their risk of experiencing homelessness.
LGBT youth homelessness charities
While local councils provide generic support for everyone experiencing homelessness, there are several charities offering more specific, dedicated support for particular groups.
As previously mentioned, akt is a specialist LGBTQ+ youth homelessness charity supported by our Frontline Fund. Since being founded 35 years ago, akt has established centres in four major UK cities, providing safe spaces and digital support services for thousands of young people every year.
Through our Frontline Fund, St Martin-in-the-Fields Charity is specifically funding akt’s Trans Pathway Project to help tackle the worryingly high rates of homelessness experienced by trans or non-binary individuals.
The project provides specialist services catered specifically to trans+ people aged 18-25 in the Greater Manchester area, aiming to break down the barriers they face when trying to access homelessness support services, such as transphobia and a general lack of knowledge or awareness.
The Trans Pathway project has already helped to support 72 young people experiencing homelessness, all thanks to your generous donations.
Please keep giving what you can so that we can improve the lives of more vulnerable young people all over the UK through out Frontline Fund.
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