Effects of homelessness
Homelessness has a serious impact on both the young people
affected and the wider society. Young people describe their lives
as being 'on hold' while they are homeless, making it much harder
for them to achieve their goals and ensure their own
well-being.
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Homeless young people are much more likely to be NEET - not in
education, employment or training. A young person arriving at
Centrepoint is four times more likely to be NEET than average.
Homeless young people often experience a disrupted education.
Crises during their adolescence mean that 29% arrive at Centrepoint
without any qualifications. Over a quarter have English as a
second language.
Barriers to work
Poor qualifications and high support needs make it difficult for
homeless young people to find work. Welfare benefit rules also mean
that young people can be no better off in work than on benefits.
Finding a job can be particularly difficult for refugees due to the
language barrier and a lack of experience of English recruitment
procedures.
As a result of these challenges, only 5% are in work when they
arrive at Centrepoint.
Crime
Poverty and desperation means some homeless young people turn to
crime. This further decreases the chances of them finding work and
escaping their situation.
Homeless young people are also more likely to be victims of
crime. Their situation puts them at risk of exploitation,
particularly if they become homeless at a very young age.
Health
The often chaotic and unstable lives of homeless young people
mean that poor physical and mental health is common.
A third of young people at Centrepoint have a mental health
problem, and one in eight have a physical health problem. Over
a quarter of young people at Centrepoint are also known to use or
suspected of using illegal drugs.
For many, these problems stem from traumas they have faced in
their past, but without the right support, poverty and homelessness
can lead to them spiralling out of control.
Debt
The combination of very low incomes and chaotic lifestyles means
many homeless young people find themselves in debt. Research
conducted in 2005 showed that 82% of Centrepoint young people were
in debt, owing £1,000 on average, but as much as £15,000 in one
case.
Most young people who arrive at Centrepoint have never received
advice about how to manage their money. Desperation can lead some
young people to resort to expensive loans, money from loan sharks,
store cards and expensive mail order catalogues as they cannot
access more mainstream products.
This acts as a barrier to them achieving other goals, such as
going to college, eating healthily and living independently. The
stress caused by debt can also have a serious impact on young
people's mental health.
The cost of youth homelessness
The cost of homelessness to the public purse is very high. This
is due to a number of factors including:
- Higher use of acute health services and the criminal justice
system
- Expensive temporary accommodation
- Prolonged periods on welfare benefits
Research in 2008 by the New
Economics Foundation indicated an annual cost to
the state of £26,000 for each homeless person.
Investing in homelessness services saves a significant amount
for the taxpayer by preventing some of these costs. A report by Communities and Local Government
showed that the Supporting People programme, which pays for
accommodation-related support services for a range of groups,
including homeless young people, saved a total of £3.41 billion a
year, against an overall investment of £1.61 billion.