Young LGBTQ+ people twice as likely to experience hidden homelessness, report finds
Young LGBTQ+ people are twice as likely to experience forms of hidden homelessness like sofa-surfing or sleeping in cars than their non-LGBTQ+ peers, new research has found.
The research, commissioned by homelessness charity AKT and carried out by the University of Kent, found that young LGBTQ+ people had a homelessness probability of 35%, compared with 15% for non-LGBTQ+ individuals.
Yet government data currently estimates that fewer than one in 20 (4%) people experiencing homelessness are lesbian, gay, bisexual or other, the research said.
The report, titled No place like home, found “significant gaps in government data” and “a lack of awareness and priority given in services from housing providers and charities”.
READ MORE
Just 10% of local housing services “cater exclusively to LGBTQ+ young people”, while 59% of mainstream service providers do not consider LGBTQ+ support a priority.
It also revealed that more than one in three trans young people reported experiencing homelessness, versus one in five of their cisgender LGBTQ+ peers.
LGBTQ+ young people who are Black, brown or people of colour are 50% more likely to experience hidden homelessness than their white counterparts, the report said.
Adam Pemberton Wickham, chief executive of AKT, said: “This report shows that LGBTQ+ young people are slipping through the cracks of homelessness prevention and support.
“Hidden homelessness is a growing crisis, yet it remains unrecorded in government data, overlooked in media discussions, and neglected in mainstream services. A one-size-fits-all approach to tackling homelessness simply does not work.”
Half of young people coming to AKT have reported a poor experience of other services, the charity said.
More than three-quarters (77%) of the young people AKT supports cite “family rejection and abuse after coming out or being outed as the primary reason for their homelessness”, with 22% of people being referred to AKT having been made homeless due to hostile living conditions or domestic abuse.
Dr Carin Tunåker, lead researcher for the project and a lecturer in law at the University of Kent, said: “Our research findings show a worrying picture of LGBTQ+ homelessness in the UK, and that the situation is far from improving.
“The government and local authorities need to recognise the challenges that LGBTQ+ people are facing and safeguard them by considering intersecting needs, such as how a person’s sexual orientation, race, gender identity and disabilities impact their experience of homelessness.”
Faraz, a 25-year-old who identifies as gay, left Iran after being targeted by the government for taking part in LGBTQ+ activism.
“I was referred to AKT in September. I wanted to study in Manchester and needed support finding a GP, accommodation and mental health services,” Faraz said.
“Knowing there are people who support you – who make you feel safe – is emotionally and mentally fulfilling.”
Claire Linacre-Hilton, director of development at charity Stonewall Housing, said: “This report is a vital and much-needed spotlight on the realities of LGBTQ+ homelessness, echoing what we see every day at Stonewall Housing through our own research and the experiences of our frontline staff.
“It reinforces the urgent need for more inclusive, tailored support – particularly for trans people and people of colour – who are disproportionately affected by hidden homelessness.”
The research, which was also carried out in collaboration with the University of Bristol and the University of Southampton, included 608 responses from young people and 80 responses from service providers.
An additional report, published earlier this year by non-profit Tonic Housing, shed light on a financially precarious community of older LGBTQ+ people in London.
Sign up for our care and support newsletter
Already have an account? Click here to manage your newsletters
