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
Mustafa's story: Keep on learning and be responsible for yourself
Mustafa, 22, came to the UK under humanitarian protection in 2021 and was moved into care. When he turned 18, he had to leave his home and struggled to find accommodation through the council. He reached out to the Centrepoint Helpline,…
Emma’s story: I’m so happy that I came here
Emma, 17, came to Centrepoint after experiencing a breakdown in the relationship with her mum, which meant she had to leave the family home. She began sofa surfing, moving between family and friends, and occasionally spending nights on…
Miguel’s story: Don’t be shy to ask for help if you need it
Miguel, 20, first arrived in the UK during 2020 at the age of 15 as an unaccompanied minor and was placed into care, where he stayed until he was 18. At 18 he moved into a Centrepoint supported home where he has been working closely with…
Research reports
Read our latest research into the issues affecting homeless young people
Local Authority Gatekeeping
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…
Making work pay in supported accommodation
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…
No young person left out: Estimating the local authority funding needs to support young people experiencing homelessness
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…