LGBT young people ‘more likely to be homeless'

According to the report by the Albert Kennedy Trust, the top three reasons for LGBT young people becoming homeless include parental rejection, abuse within the family (physical, emotional and sexual) and aggression and violence within the family.?

Family rejection also topped the list of issues presented by homeless LGBT young people, followed by mental health problems, alcohol abuse, homophobic bullying and sexual exploitation. The report, which aimed to explore the experiences of LGBT young people aged between 16 and 25 in the UK, also found only 13 per cent of housing providers recognised the unique needs of LGBT young people, with only 3.9 per cent having fully implemented initiatives to address those needs.?

Albert Kennedy Trust chief executive Tim Sigsworth, said: “After 25 years witnessing the rejection and abuse of LGBT youth just for being brave enough to come out to their peers and family, this report is a much-needed call to action for government, housing providers and everyone concerned with young peoples’ wellbeing.?

“Making a number of specific, achievable and cost-effective recommendations we hope to help others prevent lifetimes of youth homelessness and its enduring impact on mental, physical and emotional health.”?

The trust estimates that homeless LGBT young people make up between 19 and 26 per cent of the overall youth homeless population. The trust is now recommending the government hold local authorities and housing providers accountable for collecting and monitoring sexual/gender identity of young homeless people by using standardised assessments administered by trained staff. It also says that local authorities should ensure housing options, policies and procedures for young people are appropriate and inclusive.

The trust wants to see housing providers’ staff receive better training to understand the needs of homeless LGBT young people. However, it believes the shortfall in services could start to be addressed if a proportion of local authorities’ funding for housing was guaranteed for LGBT services.

To read more about LGBT homelessness click here.