Over 20,000 young people could experience homelessness over winter, a charity has predicted.
According to youth homelessness charity Centrepoint, 23,500 people aged between 16 and 24 across the UK are vulnerable to experiencing winter homelessness this year.
The charity’s 2024-25 impact report reveals a 10% rise in the number of young people (over 118,000 in total) who appealed to their local authorities for homelessness support compared to last year.
Based on information gathered through the Centrepoint Helpline, which provided help to 5,166 young people in 2024-25, the charity also revealed the difficulties encountered by young people when seeking support from local authorities.
Commenting on the number of young people at risk of homelessness this season, Paul Brocklehurst, Senior Manager of the Centrepoint Helpline, said: ‘Some of these young people will be sofa surfing or wandering the streets alone, with nowhere safe to go. Many of them will call the Centrepoint Helpline because they don’t know where to turn or can’t access the support they’re entitled to.
‘Experiencing homelessness has a huge impact on a person's life journey, especially at a young age. Every young person deserves to feel safe in their own home and can thrive. But reality is that thousands will be reaching out for support this winter because they don't have that safety or stability.’
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