Research reports

The report outlines the key issues regarding local authority youth homelessness support, as identified in interviews and focus groups with youth homelessness sector staff and young people with lived experience of homelessness, and highlights how these issues are reflected in the proposed chapter.

This year’s Youth Homelessness Databank report presents analysis of data collected during the 2024-25 financial year and looks into the implementation of the Homelessness Reduction Act (HRA) in its seventh year.

Under the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017 (HRA), everyone in England approaching their local authority for help because they are homeless or at risk of homelessness is entitled to an assessment. However, Centrepoint’s latest Youth Homelessness Databank found that a third of the young people who approached their local authority in England in 2023/24 were not assessed for eligibility.

Supported housing is designed to help people build the skills and confidence needed to live independently, with a key focus on improving their employment prospects. By offering stability and tailored support, it provides a crucial stepping stone toward long-term work and financial independence.

Under the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017, everyone in England approaching their local authority for help because they are homeless or at risk of homelessness is entitled to an assessment. Unfortunately, Centrepoint’s Databank research has found that this is not happening in practice, with only 67 percent of the young people who approached their local authority in England in the financial year 2023/24 receiving an assessment.

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 challenges. This can in turn lead to a young person being made to leave or choosing to leave home before they are ready to.

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 who have experienced homelessness.

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 homelessness.

This report captures the first year of learning in a three-year evaluation of the initiative, drawing on interviews with 19 stakeholders and analysis of the first year of Upstream surveys.

This guide outlines key changes that employers can make to improve recruitment and employment practices and support homeless young people to access work.

Centrepoint’s 2022/23 Youth Homelessness Databank has found that more than a third of the young people who approached their local authority in England in 2022/23 were not assessed for eligibility.

Young people experiencing homelessness face unique barriers to employment including issues with the benefits system and a lack of local jobs. These barriers can mean that homeless young people are often unable to access employment, resulting in diminished self-confidence and limited resilience.