Young and Homeless 2012
Since our 2011 report, several expected changes to the welfare system have taken place and are now having a negative impact on young people. The extension of the Shared Accommodation Rate and the lowering of Local Housing Allowance earlier this year are reducing young people’s ability to access private rented accommodation, which in many areas has become their only housing option. Reductions in household income, including through increased non-dependent deductions5, will have contributed to the breakdown in relationships that often cause youth homelessness. Further changes in the coming year, especially the overall benefit cap and the localisation of council tax benefit, are likely to apply even more pressure to already stretched household budgets. It remains to be seen what effect Universal Credit will have when it is introduced next year. The same is true of size criteria rules.
Reductions in services provided by the youth sector in the last 12 months as a result of cuts in local authority spending will have affected important early intervention and prevention work with young people. Whether services have closed entirely or reduced their work with young people, funding cuts are likely to have caused a loss of expertise that cannot easily be replaced. If there are further local authority spending cuts in 2013 that reduce youth services, these cuts will only magnify this effect.
In combination, these macro-level factors have made the transition to adulthood fraught with challenges for young people, and make preventing and tackling youth homelessness harder. What works in preventing and reducing youth homelessness is well known7, but in the prevailing economic and social environment it will not be easy to put in place the elements required. These include affordable accommodation, flexible support, integrated working within local authorities and between homelessness organisations, specialist help for complex needs, and high quality advice and guidance.
Published : 19th December 2012
Publisher : Homeless Link [ More From This Publisher ]
Rights : Homeless Link
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