News

We explore some of the ways in which young people facing homelessness are made even more vulnerable through public spending, and the steps that can be taken to give them the support they need.

This week marks a year since the Universal Credit uplift was cut - a decision that has proved detrimental to many vulnerable young people. We speak to a former Centrepoint resident about just how important the uplift was to him and other young people experiencing homelessness.

Centrepoint’s Policy and Research Manager Billy Harding and Campaigns and Mobilisation Officer Pooja Singh talk about how we can work together to End Youth Homelessness once and for all – and how you can get involved.

Our research estimates nearly 122,000 young people asked for help from their local council in 2020-21 because they were homeless or at risk. Dan Poursaeedi, Centrepoint's Senior Policy, Research and Databank Officer, explains the findings of the recent Youth Homelessness Databank report for 2020-2021.

As recipients of the lowest amount of Universal Credit, young people have been left struggling to make ends meet for decades. When the weekly £20 uplift is removed at the end of this month, many vulnerable young people will be forced to compromise between food, bills or rent – an impossible choice that will make it even harder for homeless young people to move forward with their lives.

Today sees the London mayoral elections take place once again, but this year will be different from the others: in the wake of a pandemic that has devastated the lives of many all over the country, there is much to rebuild. All candidates have vowed to improve London over the next four years – but who will make a difference to the lives of homeless young people?

Coronavirus has been tough on everyone, but as we go into winter, young people will face far tougher conditions than most. It’s this demographic that are most at risk of losing their jobs during the pandemic, and without a steady income it’s likely to force some young people into precarious circumstances.

Last month, when the Children’s Commissioner Anne Longfield said 16- and 17 year-olds in care should not be put in danger by their accommodation, you’d be hard pressed to find someone that disagreed. But to follow the Commissioner’s suggestion and ban unregulated accommodation would be to throw the baby out with the bathwater. Here's what needs to be done instead.

This week Centrepoint sent our submission to the Government’s Comprehensive Spending Review - which has since been cancelled in favour of a ‘winter economy plan’. However, this still gives charities like Centrepoint the opportunity to identify where we think money needs to be spent and policies need to be changed.

The Vagrancy Act has been part of UK legislation for nearly 200 years - but as it continues to criminalise rough sleepers and pushes them further into poverty, isn't it time we found a new approach, one that actually provides support to the UK's street homeless? Here's what you need to now about The Vagrancy Act, and what we can do to change this antiquated law.

Centrepoint responds to the Government’s call to help house rough sleepers. No one can be expected to return to the streets as the Government eases lockdown measures.

Nearly a million people have registered for Universal Credit since the pandemic started. Now, many will see the difficulties homeless young people must go through in order to live.