Press release: 33% increase in homelessness among care leavers
Today’s new figures published in the government’s annual Statutory Homelessness in England report show a steep rise numbers of young people leaving care aged 18-20 who experience homelessness or the threat of homelessness.
The government’s own research shows that during the financial year 2022/23:
- The number of care leavers aged 18 – 20 facing homelessness has increased by at least 33% since 2018. The figure for 2018-19 was 2,790 compared to 3,710 for 2022/23.
- That means the number of care leavers aged 18 – 20 facing homelessness has risen more than three times as fast as the overall number of households facing homelessness, which rose by only 10.7% over the same period.
- The number of care leavers aged 18-20 facing homelessness has increased by over 9% in the last year – up from 3, 390 in 2021/22.
- There were 2,270 care leavers aged 18 – 20 presenting as homeless, and a further 1,440 as threatened with homelessness.
- This means that most care leavers (61.2%) aged 18 – 20 were already homeless by the time they received support from their local authority.
- 10.7% of all care leavers aged 18 to 20 in England presented as homeless or threatened with homelessness. That’s up significantly from 8.9% in 2018/19.
- 19% of care leavers aged 18 – 20 presenting as homeless or threatened with homelessness were in the North West of England, 15% were in the South West, and 13% were in the South East.
From our work with care-experienced young people, we know that this is just the tip of the iceberg and beyond these statistics are many more who are ‘hidden homeless’, sofa surfing or rough sleeping, who may be unaware of their rights and entitlements and haven’t been in touch with their local authority for support.
