More than one in four young people concerned about becoming homeless within the next year, study shows

Fewer than one in five people aged between 16 and 24 were “the least concerned about saving money over the planet when it comes to the energy efficiency of their home”.

The research also revealed that eight in 10 young people believe the government should provide more funding to prevent homelessness.

The majority of all age groups agreed with this, PfP said, with roughly 78% of people of all ages stating that the prime minister should build more social homes to tackle homelessness.

Gillian Clater, who is part of the Unlock Next Gen group at Places for People, said: “A distinct lack of affordable housing is pricing more and more young people out of buying or renting a quality and secure home to become the bedrock of their future. Worse still, every fourth young person or a friend fears having no home at all within a year. 

“This group deserves a social system which brings them opportunity, not fear. It’s vital the voices of young people are heard by those responsible for shaping the solution to society’s gravest challenges.”

She added: “We simply must build more of the right homes for the right people, including student accommodation and homes affordable to young people. This will help satisfy a growing demand for housing of all types and lay the foundations for future generations to prosper. Talking is over, it’s time to build.”

This research follows an earlier PfP survey this month which revealed that a fifth of people surveyed in the UK were afraid they or someone they know could become homeless in the next year.

Renters were the most concerned, with 30% of private renters and 29% of social renters worried about homelessness, compared with 15% of homeowners.

PfP owns or manages more than 245,000 homes across the UK. Like Inside Housing’s Build Social campaign, the landlord is calling on the next government to build 90,000 social homes a year.