Care charity Become, which analysed the figures, found that 4,300 care leavers aged 18 to 20 were assessed as homeless in the last year – up from 2,790 in 2018/19, marking an increase of 54%.
The charity highlights that the increase has become more prevalent over the last two years, with figures jumping 27% between 2021/22 and 2023/24 – an increase of 910 young people.
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The analysis shows that 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.
It also highlights regional disparities around levels of care leavers being assessed as homeless.
Both the North West and South West of England accounted for 15% of all homeless care leavers in England compared with 6% in the North East and West Midlands.
The analysis comes a week after Prime Minister Keir Starmer pledged to end stipulations for care leavers to be linked to an area in order to access social housing there.
Katharine Sacks-Jones, Become’s chief executive, said: “Homelessness can be avoided. The government pledged last week to remove the local connection test for care leavers, which is a good start, but it must now end the Care Cliff, prioritise social housing for young people leaving care and make sure they have the support they need to make a positive start to adulthood.”
Overall, the government figures show that local authorities across England recorded nearly 57,000 young people being threatened with or experiencing homelessness last year, including 16- and 17-year-olds.
Linda Briheim-Crookall, head of Policy and Practice Development at Coram Voice said: “It is particularly important that those who are legally still children when they experience homelessness receive the care and support they have a right to.
“All local authorities should urgently ensure that 16- and 17-year-olds who present as homeless become looked after. There are also too many young people who are turned away from services.”
Meanwhile, data from homelessness charity St-Martin-in-the-Fields reveals that demands on homelessness services have increased dramatically over the past year with 84% of frontline workers supporting people experiencing homelessness reporting an increase in demand for their services.
Nearly half of homelessness workers also report their ability to prevent future homelessness has also decreased, the charity finds.
Some 77% of frontline workers report difficulties in accessing mental health support for those they are working with and 88% saying they are supporting people who are going hungry.
