Youth Homelessness in the UK: Help Build a Brighter Future

Homelessness is a terrifying prospect for anyone, especially young people who should be receiving love and support from their families or carers. Yet, youth homelessness is increasing, with the Guardian reporting that homelessness charities have seen a record number of young people seeking their help since Christmas. 

To tackle this alarming upward trend, we must start by understanding the causes and varying experiences of youth homelessness. Read on to learn more about youth homelessness in the UK and potential strategies and solutions to address the issue.

Before we get started

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What is youth homelessness?

Youth homelessness includes anyone aged between 16 and 25 who can’t live in a permanent home with their parents or guardians or in suitable care and can’t acquire their own home.

While it’s important to help people experiencing homelessness, young people are particularly vulnerable.

The properties young people experiencing homelessness often take refuge in are usually unsuitable, overcrowded, or dilapidated which presents additional challenges. Living in these conditions isn’t much safer than experiencing rooflessness (where they don’t have a roof over their head at all) and often means young people are invisible to authorities and support systems. As a result, it’s likely that we don’t truly understand the full extent of the problem.

The isolation and loneliness can have an especially detrimental effect on their mental health, while they can also be more susceptible to risky situations. A survey by Centrepoint found that one in six young people experiencing homelessness had reported taking part in criminal activity in return for somewhere to stay.

The increased risk faced by young people emphasises the importance of tackling youth homelessness and understanding its main causes is key to finding potential solutions.

Causes of youth homelessness in the UK

According to Centrepoint, in 2022-2023, 135,800 individuals aged 16-24 either experienced or were at risk of homelessness across the UK.

Youth homelessness is primarily caused by challenges unique to young people in both societal and home environments. Here are the main causes of youth homelessness.

Family breakdown

Family breakdown can be a cause of youth homelessness. Young people may simply have a very negative and toxic relationship with a parent or carer. A build-up of frustration and anger towards them from a young age may drive them to either choose to leave home or be forced out once they’re older. Due to no fault of their own, young people often lack the experience or capability to organise their own housing situation, particularly if they’ve had a difficult upbringing.

Family breakdown is one of the main causes of youth homelessness, which is a particularly pressing issue in London, with 20,000 young people presenting to their local London councils for support in 2022-2023, the LSE reports. Caring in Bristol, which is funded by our Frontline Fund, is doing fantastic work to support young people who have been forced to leave home, whether it be due to family breakdown or otherwise. They’re in the process of constructing the Z House, an emergency youth shelter run by volunteers to provide a more positive experience for young people who are currently without a home.

Financial difficulties

Young people don’t have to leave or be forced out of a permanent home in order to experience homelessness. There are thousands of families with children currently experiencing statutory homelessness, living in council-provided temporary accommodation. 

As reported by homelessness charity, Shelter, recent government figures show that a record high 139,000 people are living in temporary accommodation in England, made up of 73,600 households. This includes 7,500 families with children living in hostels and B&Bs, often in overcrowded, unsafe conditions. Not only is this accommodation far from suitable, families also have to endure the uncertainty and insecurity of potentially being evicted at very short notice.

Shortages of social housing and high rental costs can make it very difficult for families in this position to secure a permanent home. Even if they are able to, the current cost of living crisis means low-income households don’t receive enough money to provide basic necessities for everyone in the home. In some cases, the eldest children may have little to no choice but to leave home, placing them at increased risk of experiencing hidden homelessness or rooflessness.

Fleeing abuse or danger

Another prominent cause of youth homelessness is fleeing home out of fear. This could be to escape emotional or physical abuse from a parent or relative. People in this situation sadly decide potentially living without a roof over their head is safer than staying at home with their abuser.

Equally, young people are more prone to becoming involved in gang activity which presents further dangers that can lead to homelessness. It’s difficult to accurately state just how many young people are involved in gangs, but the most recent estimates by the Children’s Commissioner in 2019 suggested that 60,000 children may self-identify as being a gang member or having a sibling who’s in a gang, 300,000 children may know a gang member, and 34,000 children may have been a victim of gang violence in the previous 12 months. For these people, the risk of being attacked may become too great, forcing them to protect themselves and their families by leaving home or their local area entirely without making alternative accommodation arrangements.

Leaving the care system

Youth homelessness can also be caused by young people leaving the care system. The latest someone can leave care in England is 18 years old, and some may leave slightly earlier. Statistics from Home For Good state that 12,200 people aged out of the care system in England in 2023, and care leavers now make up 25% of the adult homeless population. While people of this age are classed as adults, they’re still expected to take on the responsibility of organising their own housing situation much earlier than most people who didn’t grow up in care.

Securing a home after leaving care can be difficult for several reasons. The high cost of living gives very little chance for care leavers to afford the rent of their own home at such a young age. Difficulties affording their own home are compounded by the fact that care leavers often face challenges when seeking employment. Research by Ofsted found that care leavers were not involved enough in plans about their future, leading to a long-term negative impact on their education and career path, restricting their opportunities to earn a reasonable income. This means care leavers often have to rely on social housing which isn’t always available due to a lack of provision and high demand.

Additionally, growing up can be a difficult upbringing which can often result in young people developing mental health problems. Research from the University College London suggests that care leavers are more likely to experience depression and anxiety, adding to the challenges of living entirely independently and increasing the risk of youth homelessness.

Youth homelessness and mental health

Mental health problems can be both a cause and consequence of youth homelessness. Mental health issues in young people can cause behavioural problems, potentially leading to tension in the household, and occasionally causing parents and their children to choose not to live together.

Likewise, poor behaviour linked to mental health can contribute to difficulties in school, potentially leading to exclusion or expulsion. A recent report by Homeless Link highlights the connection between serial exclusion and underperformance in exams, resulting in difficulty securing further education and employment which can ultimately result in homelessness.

If a young person does experience problems with their mental health and homelessness, the challenges associated with not having a permanent, secure home can further compound mental health issues. 

The same report by Homeless Link states that 62% of young people experiencing homelessness reported suffering mental health problems. This can make it more difficult for people to get back on their feet. 

Factors like isolation, loneliness, and insecurity about their housing situation can further harm someone’s frame of mind. Again, this may lead to circumstances which can reduce the likelihood of acquiring a suitable home, such as being unable to get a job or choosing not to engage with support networks.

In many cases, government-provided mental health support is simply not accessible. Research by Young Minds found less than 1% of the total NHS budget is used for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS). This lack of funding causes severe delays in young people receiving the treatment they need, with 76% of parents stating their child’s mental health had deteriorated further while waiting for support. It can also lead to young people feeling like they’re not taken seriously when they ask for help and may cause them to lose faith in the system entirely. With this in mind, mental health support provided by charities is vitally important. We are delighted to have provided over £500,000 of funding for mental health projects across the UK, including MAC- UK and Look Ahead’s Mental Health and Homelessness partnership in London and Kent. The project provides an integrated team of psychologists, practitioners, youth workers, and academics for young people aged 16-25.

There are plenty of other charities doing incredible work up and down the UK to tackle the mental health crisis amongst young people at risk of or experiencing homelessness. 

Some of these are supported by our Frontline Fund, including TGP Cymru, a charity in Wales working with some of the most vulnerable and marginalised children, including those with disabilities, complex emotional needs, and children seeking asylum. Their services include advocacy, participation, counselling, family group meetings, restorative approaches and conflict resolution, all with the purpose of protecting the rights of vulnerable children and their families. TGP Cymru’s recent report shines a light on the experiences of people transitioning from child to adult mental health services, uncovering faults and offering potential improvements to ensure vulnerable young people receive the best possible support in the future.

Thanks to your incredible generosity, we are able to ensure organisations like TGP Cymru can continue making a difference in the fight against youth homelessness. Your donations ensure specialist support is always available to young people, preventing them from experiencing homelessness, or providing the support they need to find and keep a suitable and happy home.

LGBTQ youth homelessness in the UK

Members of the LGBTQ community make up a significant portion of all people experiencing youth homelessness in the UK. Statistics from Stonewall state almost one in five LGBTQ people have experienced homelessness at some point in their lives, as reported by Crisis. Rates are even higher amongst trans people, with up to 25% saying they’ve experienced homelessness at some stage. Akt, another charity supported by our Frontline Fund, is delivering the Trans Pathway Project, offering specialist support to young trans and non-binary people in Greater Manchester.

Naturally, LGBTQ youth homelessness is experienced because individuals often first make family members aware of their sexuality at a young age. Factors like religion and traditional values can lead parents to reject their child’s sexuality. This can cause LGBTQ youth homelessness as a result of eviction, or if young people choose to leave home because they no longer feel accepted for who they are. Research by akt found that two-thirds (66%) of LGBTQ young people who were surveyed reported being repeatedly belittled by family members to the extent they felt worthless before experiencing homelessness.

As well as facing additional challenges that can lead to homelessness, LGBTQ young people often face further difficulties when experiencing homelessness. Of the people surveyed by akt, 17% said they felt they needed to have casual sex to find somewhere to stay and 16% stated they engaged in sex work as a direct consequence of their homelessness. 

A key purpose of youth homelessness services is to prevent young people turning to risky behaviour to get money or somewhere to stay, but only 44% of people surveyed were aware of organisations providing support, and 59% faced discrimination when trying to get help. Being unaware of the available support and feeling misunderstood or disregarded by professionals are significant contributing factors to the high rates of LGBTQ youth homelessness in the UK.

AKT is just one of the many charities specialising in LGBTQ youth homelessness. The funding from your donations allows them to work closely with young people of different sexualities and identities, providing them with a safe place to live and a sense of belonging, which are basic entitlements for every member of our society.

Youth homelessness strategy and solutions

The prospect of completely ending youth homelessness is unlikely to become a reality. However, there are several strategies and solutions which could help to keep the number of young people experiencing homelessness to a minimum.

In addition to the efforts being made by youth homelessness charities, the government has also implemented their own schemes to try and tackle the issue. As part of the Rough Sleeping Strategy, the government currently provides £3.2 million to the 47 councils with the highest number of care leavers at risk of facing homelessness. 

Additionally, it offers guidelines and protocols on how council housing departments and children’s services should work together to ease the transition from care to independence. These include a tailored support plan for each care leaver, identifying and taking action to help those most at risk as early as possible, and making a joint effort to help care leavers who do go on to experience homelessness.

The government has also implemented support for local authorities through the Homelessness Advice and Support Team, which consists of dedicated youth homelessness advisors. Their purpose is to provide additional advice, training, and support to local authorities, helping them to apply best practices to tackle the problem.

This guidance was first published in 2020 and, despite government efforts, youth homelessness has continued to rise since then highlighting how much more needs to be done. This has been recognised by the London Assembly which called upon the London Mayor to support the #PlanForThe136k campaign in February 2024. The campaign aims to make the government adopt a cross-departmental strategy to make a meaningful, substantial contribution to end youth homelessness in the capital.

While we wait to see whether the government will listen to calls to take youth homelessness more seriously, St Martin-in-the-Fields Charity continues to work with several incredible youth homelessness charities. Every one of them is striving day after day to change the lives of vulnerable young people for the better, but they can only continue to do so with your ongoing support.