“Society is failing these young people”: Figures show increase in homeless care leavers

New official figures show a rise in the number of young care leavers facing homelessness with a particularly sharp increase in the last two years.

Data showed the number of young care leavers aged 18-20 who are homeless has increased by 54% over the last five years. It also showed that 4,300 care leavers aged 18-20 were assessed as homeless in the last year – with 1,510 additional young care leavers facing homelessness last year.

Over the past two years the increase has been particularly sharp, with 910 more care leavers assessed as homeless in 2023-24 than in 2021-22 – an increase of 27%

The number of care leavers aged 18 – 20 facing homelessness has risen more than twice as fast as the overall number of homeless households, and fifteen times faster than the overall number of young people facing homelessness.

Become, a charity representing children in care and care leavers, said these figures are just the tip of the iceberg.

They said beyond the statistics are many more who are hidden homeless, sofa surfing or rough sleeping, who may be unaware of their rights and entitlements and aren’t accessing support through their local authority. Many will be struggling to manage jobs, education and bills without a suitable roof over their heads.

“The stark reality of more care leavers becoming homeless is that society is failing these young people,” Katharine Sacks-Jones, CEO of Become, said.

“Each year, thousands of children move out of their foster or children’s homes at the age of 18, sometimes younger, and are forced to become independent overnight. Many young people are sofa surfing, living in hostels or unsuitable accommodation where they don’t feel safe, struggling to stay afloat with little support.”

Become is calling on the Government to end what they call the ‘care cliff’ and make Staying Put and Staying Close schemes fully funded, opt-out legal entitlements for all young people in care up to 25 so young people can stay in their homes or connected to support without facing a care cliff at 18.

They are also calling for a homelessness safety net for care leavers by amending homelessness legislation to urgently introduce the exemption to the local area connection test for care leavers so they can bid for social housing in the area they were moved to when in care; as well as making all care leavers a priority for social housing up to the age of 25.