New government figures show a 9% increase in the number of care leavers who were threatened with homelessness from 2024-25. This was alongside a 6% increase in the number who were already homeless and therefore owed help from their local authority. These figures are worrying due to being substantially higher than those for the population more generally.
For people threatened with homelessness in England, the number only grew by 0.3%. While the number of people experiencing homelessness increased by 1%. The most recent figures from homelessness charity Crisis found that nearly 300,000 people are now experiencing homelessness.
In total, 4,610 young people who had been in care faced homelessness from April 2024 to March 2025, which is up from 4,310 the previous year. This figure equates to more than one in ten care leavers, and 2.8% of all people experiencing homelessness. Alarmingly, 600 of these young people faced homelessness immediately after leaving a care placement, such as a children’s home or foster care.
A growing problem
When you look at the figures for the last six years, the numbers are even more stark. In 2018-19, there were 2, 790 care leavers assessed as homeless. This means there has been a 65% increase since 2018. In total, one third of all care leavers face homelessness within two years of leaving care. Importantly though, these figures could be just the tip of the iceberg.
They do not include anyone classed as ‘hidden homeless’ – that is, anyone sofa-surfing, sleeping in cars or squats, or otherwise choosing to stay clear of homelessness charities or local authorities. This means the actual figure is even higher.
Coram is a group of specialist charities and organisations which supports hundreds of thousands of children, young people and families every year. Linda Briheim-Crookall, Head of Policy and Practice Development at Coram Voice said:
Youth homelessness is not just a problem for young people; it is a concern for all of us. Behind every statistic is a real young person who, whatever their circumstances, has the potential to shine.
Housing and homelessness are the number one issues care leavers seek help with from the Coram Voice Advocacy Service. The Government must address the needs of young people—and especially care-experienced young people—in its forthcoming Ending Homelessness Strategy.
Corams own figures show that more than a third of care leavers don’t feel safe where they live. Meanwhile, almost half do not feel settled. This is despite government statistics showing that 89% of care leavers live in settled accommodation.
‘Priority need’
Care leavers face systemic barriers when accessing suitable housing or support. For example, they are subject to the local connection test which applies when an individual tries to access homelessness support. If they do not have a connection to that area, either through family, a job or having being in care in that area, then the local authority can refer them somewhere else and are not obliged to help them.
However, once a care leaver turns 21, the local connection to where they had been in care, expires along with their priority need status.
And of course, growing up in care means that a person may live in many different places, but have no set ties to any particular area. This means councils can effectively pass the butt to avoid taking responsibility.
Additionally, their priority for social housing will also depend on where they wish to live.
Coram is calling on the government to:
- Remove the local connection test for homelessness support for care leavers, mirroring the recent and welcome removal of the local connection test for access to social housing. This would allow care leavers to access support to avoid becoming homeless in the first place, no matter where they live.
- Give all care leavers ‘priority need’ status under homelessness legislation, up to and including at least age 25. Currently this is limited to care leavers aged 18, 19 and 20.
- Ensure all care leavers have access to independent advocacy to assist with homelessness and housing issues, no matter where they live, including non-instructed advocacy (for young people with a disability or communication difficulty) and advocacy in a language that they understand.
Featured image via Centre for Homelessness Impact
By HG
This post was originally published on Canary.