The LGBTQ+ youth homelessness charity akt has published a new report examining the true scale of homelessness for LGBTQ+ people aged 16-25 in the UK.

‘There’s No Place Like Home: The Reality of LGBTQ+ Youth Homelessness’ was a joint effort between akt, the University of Kent, the University of Bristol and the University of Southampton.

Co-produced by young LGBTQ+ people who have experienced or been at risk of homelessness, the report examines the lived experiences of this vulnerable demographic and highlights areas for improvement for both government and other organisations.

The report finds that there is a 35% likelihood of becoming homeless for LGBTQ+ people compared to a 15% likelihood for non-LGBTQ+ people. Transgender and non-binary youth are particularly at risk – the likelihood of becoming homeless jumps to 37%, compared to 22% likelihood for cisgender youth of all sexual orientations.

It also found that hidden homelessness (eg, sofa surfing or squatting) makes up most of these cases. LGBTQ+ people of all ages are twice as likely to experience hidden homelessness than non-LGBTQ+ people and young people are more likely than other age groups to experience hidden homelessness. In addition, being from an ethnic minority background, disability and mental health issues further increase this risk. This makes it crucial to think about intersecting disadvantages when addressing hidden homelessness.

The figures in this report, however, are limited by the scope and sample sizes of this kind of research. It therefore calls on the government to improve data collection – particularly regarding hidden homelessness and homelessness in rural and remote areas – which would provide an even more accurate picture of the situation across the country.

In addition, it asks the government to commit to structural and policy change to provide safe, affordable and suitable housing, with a focus on how discrimination, oppression and intersecting disadvantages make minorities more likely to experience homelessness.

In particular, it highlights the need for temporary accommodation for LGBTQ+ people – especially transgender and non-binary people – separate to mainstream housing and available across the country, not just in metropolitan areas.

It also recommends housing services, charities and local authorities do more to recognise the higher risk and specific challenges LGBTQ+ young people face, particularly relating to abuse (especially familial abuse), survival sex and sex work, substance use and mental health. Training forms an essential part of this, as almost half of all housing providers surveyed report having limited internal knowledge about LGBTQ+ youth homelessness and housing needs.

For local authorities especially, the report recommends that staff are trained on how to approach, assess and signpost young LGBTQ+ people experiencing or at risk of homelessness, intersectional and compounding disadvantages and the risks of discrimination LGBTQ+ youth face, including in accommodation and from family members.

In cases involving a specific individual, it suggests collaborating with an LGBTQ+ liaison officer. More broadly, it calls for more cross-sector work between housing providers, social services, domestic abuse services and LGBTQ+ support services.

It advises making that commitment to inclusion and intersectionality visible and tangible for these vulnerable young people. Having a dedicated LGBTQ+ policy that is publicly visible, clearly demonstrating LGBTQ+ people’s needs and experiences has been considered in other policies and providing referral information to relevant support organisations like akt.

The report concludes by recognising that both increasing visibility of LGBTQ+ youth homelessness and its causes and changing the cultural and political climate surrounding it are necessary to create meaningful change. In its own words: “This research shows that there are clear links between societal inequalities and homelessness and to achieve real change attitudes towards LGBTQ+ people and intersectional disadvantages must be transformed.”

Read the full report here.