On 30 September 2026, the Government published a new youth-specific chapter of the Homelessness Code of Guidance, setting out how councils should support young people aged 16 to 24 who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.
Rather than creating a separate youth chapter, the Government has combined the existing guidance on care leavers with new guidance for young people in an expanded Chapter 22: Young people, including those with care experience.
For many years, Centrepoint and others across the sector have called for youth-specific guidance. The publication of this chapter is an important step towards ensuring that young people’s experiences of homelessness are better recognised within the homelessness system.
Earlier this year, Centrepoint brought together Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer, Become, Coram, Crisis, Depaul, Herts Young Homeless, Homeless Link, LSE Housing and Communities, New Horizon Youth Centre, Shelter, St Basils, YMCA, and young people with lived experience to develop a proposed Youth Chapter for inclusion in the Code of Guidance.
Centrepoint led the project and evidence gathering, while Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer used its legal expertise to draft the proposed chapter based on the evidence, ideas and recommendations developed collectively by the group. We published the chapter alongside our report in March 2026 and shared both with MHCLG as it developed its own guidance.
We are delighted to see many of the issues identified through that collaborative work reflected in the final guidance, including areas where the wording closely reflects our proposals.
Understanding young people's experiences
One of the most important aspects of the new chapter is its recognition that young people's experiences of homelessness are often shaped by factors that differ from those affecting older adults.
The guidance now explicitly recognises that age, limited life experience, family and relationship breakdown, domestic abuse, childhood trauma and care experience can affect a young person's ability to prevent or resolve their homelessness and manage accommodation. It also specifically recognises family rejection or conflict related to a young person's sexual orientation or gender identity.
This reflects a central theme of our proposed chapter, which called for greater recognition of the distinct circumstances and vulnerabilities that shape young people’s experiences of homelessness and the support they need.
Reducing barriers to support
Our proposed chapter highlighted the barriers some young people face when trying to evidence their circumstances and called for a more flexible and proportionate approach. We recommended that councils work with young people to determine what evidence is “reasonable and proportionate” and give them a reasonable period to provide it.
This recommendation is now reflected in the official Homelessness Code of Guidance, which recognises that young people may not have immediate access to formal identification or written evidence, particularly where they have left accommodation in crisis. It requires councils to take a “reasonable and proportionate approach” when requesting information and allows them to draw on information from support services or trusted adults where appropriate.
This is a particularly positive change and should help to ensure that difficulties providing evidence do not prevent young people from accessing homelessness support.
Better support through the homelessness process
Our proposed chapter called for young people to have the support they need to understand the homelessness process, including access to independent advocacy, regular contact and clear updates. It also said councils should not assume someone is ready for an independent tenancy because of their age.
Similar provisions now appear in the new chapter, which says young people should be able to access independent advocacy where available, receive ongoing contact and clear explanations, and involve trusted adults or relevant services where appropriate. Councils should also consider whether supported accommodation or floating support is needed.
This should help young people receive clearer and more consistent support throughout the homelessness process, from understanding decisions and developing their housing plan to preparing for independent living.
Responding to family breakdown and domestic abuse
Our proposed chapter stressed that councils should distinguish between family breakdown and domestic abuse and consider whether it is safe or appropriate for a young person to remain at home or pursue family reconciliation.
The final guidance reflects this by telling councils to consider whether homelessness presented as family breakdown may involve domestic abuse, and what this means for the young person’s vulnerability, safety, support needs and housing options. It also makes clear that remaining at home, pursuing family reconciliation or staying in the local area will not always be appropriate.
This is a particularly important change and should support safer, more informed decisions for young people who can no longer remain at home.
Where we wanted to see more
While we are pleased to see many of the issues raised by Centrepoint, partners and young people reflected in the final guidance, there are areas where we would have liked the chapter to go further.
Our proposed chapter included more detailed guidance on issues such as local connection, affordability and intentional homelessness. We also called for more accessible ways for young people to approach homelessness services and greater recognition of how limited support networks can increase their vulnerability.
Although the new chapter is a significant improvement, these issues are not addressed as fully as we would have liked.
What happens next?
The Government’s forthcoming Youth Homelessness Prevention Toolkit provides another opportunity to build on the progress made through the new chapter. We hope it will give councils practical guidance on some of the issues not covered in detail here.
The publication of a dedicated youth chapter is a major step forward. It reflects years of campaigning by Centrepoint, sector partners and young people to ensure that youth homelessness is properly recognised within the homelessness system.
What matters now is how councils put the guidance into practice and whether it leads to better and more consistent support for young people facing homelessness.
