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London’s youth homelessness crisis is skyrocketing

Stark new findings from London Councils show 15% of young people were under 18 when they first experienced rough sleeping.

Published on World Homelessness Day, the report, which was led by charity Depaul UK with support from London Councils and focused on 18-25-year-olds, is based on a census of young people sleeping rough in several boroughs in the capital city. Within this research, it is believed that more young people are sleeping on the streets than official figures suggest. Experts found that more than a quarter of those surveyed (28%) had slept rough in London but were not recorded in official data.

yellow textile on gray concrete floor

This figure is especially alarming as data from the charity Centrepoint shows there were around 119,000 people aged between 16-24 who were homeless or at risk of being homeless in 2022/23 – an increase of 6,800 compared to the previous year.

In addition, it was recorded that the most common type of housing young people had left before becoming homeless was asylum accommodation.

 ‘This research paints a grim picture of life on the streets for far too many young people in London,’ said Cllr Grace Williams, London Council’s executive member for housing & regeneration. ‘It’s vital that homelessness support reflects all Londoners’ needs. Young people experiencing homelessness face particular challenges, and boroughs can use this data and insight to shape their strategies and the services they offer.’

Cllr Williams added: ‘With so many of these young people previously being in asylum accommodation before becoming homeless, it is clear this remains a significant challenge for reducing rough sleeping in the capital. Boroughs will continue working with the Mayor of London and the government to tackle this issue and prevent rough sleeping from occurring in the first place.’

What’s more, other findings from the pilot study include:

  • The first three months of the year were the worst for homelessness – 4,118 people were recorded as sleeping rough in London, with 2,038 experiencing it for the first time.
  • 80% of the survey’s respondents were identified as non-White, with the Black African community being the most commonly represented ethnicity.
  • 15% of participants said they had been below the age of 18 when they first started sleeping on the streets.

Alexia Murphy, Depaul UK’s chief executive, said: ‘This census reveals the hidden reality of youth homelessness in London and uncovers some critical gaps in our understanding of how young people become homeless. The findings emphasise the urgent need for targeted prevention, greater support and early intervention for young people who are at risk of sleeping rough, including those from minority backgrounds.’

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Emily Whitehouse
Writer and journalist for Newstart Magazine, Social Care Today and Air Quality News.

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