The causes of youth homelessness
The common causes of youth homelessness include family breakdown, leaving care, exclusion from school, gang crime, escaping violence and mental health issues.
Ending youth homelessness
We want to end youth homelessness by 2037
What is youth homelessness?
Over 118,000 young people approached their local authority for help in 2023-24. That’s one young person becoming homeless every four minutes.
The impact of youth homelessness
Being homeless is complex and a very different experience for every young person we support.
How we can end youth homelessness
Together we can tackle the crisis of youth homelessness today and end it for generations to come. Here’s how we do it.
Take action with us
Find out about our current policy campaigns to help end youth homelessness.
Real stories
Hear from young people who have been homeless
Raza's story: I want to be a better person and do stuff with my life
Raza, 20, came to Centrepoint following a family breakdown where he ended up sofa surfing. He's now completed his SIA security training and is looking forward to a future in security.
Lily's story: Try not to worry about what other people think about you
Lily, 20, reached out the helpline after she was kicked out of her partner’s sister’s home. She sofa surfed with a family friend who recommended she called the Helpline and Lily reached out for support. She’s now living in shared…
BP’s story: Just keep doing what you’re doing
BP, 19, was referred to Centrepoint by his social work team three years ago. After a series of injuries stopped his career in football, he's recently completed his security training and is now looking for roles that work for him.
Research reports
Read our latest research into the issues affecting homeless young people
Waiting for the next blow-up: Family breakdown and youth homelessness
Family breakdown is the main cause of youth homelessness. Our research shows that while conflict happens in all families and is triggered by similar topics, it is far more likely to escalate in households that are already facing multiple…
Move on for young people experiencing homelessness in 2023-24
This research explores the barriers young people face in securing stable housing. Our 2023-24 Move On report is the first iteration of a multi-year research project exploring the accessibility and affordability of housing for young people…
Hidden In Plain Sight: Understanding Youth Homelessness in the UK
1 in 62 young people in the UK faced homelessness in 2023-24. The Youth Homelessness Databank once again underscores the critical importance of having robust and comprehensive data to fully understand the scale and nature of youth…