This report centres on findings from Centrepoint’s analysis of data collected for the 2017/18 Youth Homelessness Databank. It updates findings from previous years, including Centrepoint’s estimate of the national scale of youth homelessness. Where possible, comparisons are made between 2016/17 and 2017/18 findings to understand youth homelessness over the past two years. The research also focuses mainly on findings in England; however data from the devolved nations is included where possible.
Executive Summary
Centrepoint’s Youth Homelessness Databank increases the data available on youth homelessness by gathering information at a local level to reveal the national picture. Crucially, this includes the number of young people who ask their local authority for help because they are homeless or at risk.
This provides the only single point of access to information on youth homelessness in the UK.
This year over 90 per cent of local authorities in England provided their youth homelessness data through Freedom of Information requests. This high response rate means we are able to provide the most comprehensive picture of youth homelessness to date. Data for Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales was obtained directly from their respective departments.
The data collected includes the number of young people who:
- presented to their council as they are homeless or at risk
- assessed under the Housing Act 1996
- accepted as statutorily homeless and owed a housing duty by their council
- given prevention and/or relief support
Data was also collected on the reasons for young people leaving their last settled base.
This data is more extensive than central government data publications on youth homelessness, which include only young people who were accepted as statutorily homeless and received a housing duty. That is only those who are eligible, unintentionally homeless and in priority need. As such, government data under-represents the true scale of youth homelessness in England. The Youth Homelessness Databank hopes to reframe the conversation on youth homelessness from those receiving support, to all those in need.
It is important that data is available that represents young people specifically as 16 to 24 year olds face unique circumstances, both leading to their homelessness and with respect to opportunities for prevention and relief. For example, many young people will have had to leave their home for the first time when they reach out to their council. Mediation with the family is often the first response by councils and additional support can be needed to help them to maintain their own accommodation for the first time.
Further, young people face particularly adverse circumstances when it comes to employment and welfare, which can have an effect on their ability to manage and maintain a tenancy. Young people renting in the private sector, for instance, are entitled only to the Shared Accommodation Rate of the Local Housing Allowance through Housing Benefit, as opposed to the single room rate, meaning that their options are more limited than for older people facing homelessness. It is therefore essential that the needs of young people are specifically considered in any discussion on homelessness.
Key findings and recommendations
Findings
- Centrepoint estimates that 103,000 young people in the UK presented to their council in 2017/18 as they were homeless or at risk. These young people are in crisis and often have nowhere else to turn beyond their local authority.
- Of those young people who approached their council for help, less than half (48 per cent) received meaningful support to help prevent or relieve their homelessness (including those receiving a full housing duty). This is an increase from 42 per cent in 2016/17, driven by an increase in the prevention and relief provision for those who were not accepted as statutorily homeless.
- The biggest reason for becoming homeless continued to be parents or others asking them to leave (at 37 per cent and 15 per cent respectively).
Recommendations
- The government should review the funding of the Homelessness Reduction Act in light of evidence on the scale of need.
Funding has been assigned for new burdens associated with the Homelessness Reduction Act only until April 2020. Centrepoint’s research shows that the current funding is not adequate to support councils with their increased duties. Central government must consider additional funding as a priority, based on their review of the Homelessness Reduction Act. Without this, the Homelessness Reduction Act will not achieve its aim of supporting all people in need.
Further, it is essential that funding does not end in 2020, and that future allocations are based on need rather than existing levels of support in local areas. A thorough funding review based on needs would ensure councils have the security to plan services in the longer term.
- Central government should support local government to ensure that the H-CLIC system works and allows for data collection that improves the knowledge base within local and central government.
Responses to Centrepoint’s Freedom of Information request suggest that a number of councils have not been able to effectively implement new data systems and that in some cases they have made data harder to reach. In order to ensure evidence driven policy, ongoing support should be facilitated by the Homelessness Assessment and Support Team to ensure that training and best practice is embedded in the first year of the HRA.
- MHCLG should ensure data published following the implementation of the Homelessness Reduction Act includes youth specific statistics and data on the scale of youth homelessness based on those in need, not just those receiving support.
The new H-CLIC data returns provide an opportunity to review government's publication of homelessness statistics. Data published should include specific data on youth homelessness to ensure that the needs of this group can be effectively addressed. Furthermore, published data needs to reflect demand for homelessness services in local authorities as well as support subsequently offered and outcomes, so that there is transparency in how effective the Homelessness Reduction Act has been. This would also allow for the impact of the Homelessness Reduction Act on youth homelessness to be evaluated.
- Local authorities should publish Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategies informed by data on the scale and causes of homelessness in their area.
With central government committing to reviewing the effectiveness and accountability of homelessness strategies, councils have the opportunity to frame their strategies around evidence. The Youth Homelessness Databank shows that the majority of councils have information at their disposal on youth homelessness, and those that don’t already should do with the new Homelessness Reduction Act data duties. This data should also be referenced in their progress reporting on the delivery of the strategy.
- The government should commission a cross-departmental review of rural homelessness, as part of its review of the impact of Homelessness Reduction Act.
The data collected for the Youth Homelessness Reduction Act suggests that rural youth homelessness is a growing concern. There is limited public information on the scale and nature of youth homelessness in rural areas and the Homelessness Reduction Act provides an opportunity to create an evidence base.