What can we do to end youth homelessness?
Young people’s experiences of homelessness are different from other age groups, so solutions need to be different, and they need to be informed by young people’s lived experience. Young people have been systemically overlooked in local and national homelessness and housing strategies, which reduces effective prevention opportunities and puts barriers in place for solutions.
This is why we need to keep holding the UK Government accountable for their National Plan to End Homelessness to ensure young people facing homelessness receive the support they deserve.
“It's important that preventative measures are in place to allow the next generation to not have the same issues we've faced.”
- Jack, Youth Ambassador at DePaul
The three strands to a cross-departmental solution:
Strand 1: Preventing youth homelessness before it happens
We could intervene earlier and prevent the harm of homelessness in the first place by supporting young people to avoid crises in the first place through schools, families, and councils with:
An early identification programme within schools so those at risk are identified and supported.
Work with young people and the youth homelessness sector to write and implement a youth-specific chapter in the Homelessness Code of Guidance.
Strand 2: Housing and support for young people facing homelessness
Ensuring a supply of genuinely affordable and appropriate housing for young people. This must include better, safer options in place to catch and support young people facing homelessness to sustainably solve their housing issues. We recommend the government:
Incentivise the development of more social homes, with a particular focus on the housing needs of young people.
Safeguard future of supported houses.
Increase availability of Stepping Stone Accommodation
End the single accommodation age cap, which prevents young people under 35 years old from living alone.
Roll out and implement the Positive Pathways model nationally.
Strand 3: Get young people working and ready for independence
Fairer pay and resources so young people can build successful, independent lives and get a helping hand if they experience a setback.
The government could do this by:
Reducing the housing benefit taper rate
Introduce a new Youth Independence Payment for young people living independently without family support.
Extend having Jobcentre staff located on more supported accommodation sites part time.
Homelessness isn’t a mystery
It’s a direct outcome of systems, that are meant to protect us all, failing. When people don’t have the ability or support to advocate for themselves and push for help, they fall through the cracks.
The severity of the situation requires a bolder and youth-specific response.
Adopting a youth homelessness strategy, based in the evidence from the sector, would directly transform the lives and futures of young people in the UK, something any government would be proud of. Isn’t it time we give potential a home?