5th September 07

Youth Access today launches a new report highlighting the cost of young people’s marginalisation from access to the vitally important advice they need to resolve their complex housing and homelessness problems.

Locked Out: Young people’s housing and homelessness needs and the impact of good advice reports that

• Housing and homelessness together represent the most common reason that disadvantaged young people present at services in general and at youth advice services in particular.
• Young people account for a disproportionate amount of rented housing and homelessness problems experienced by the population as a whole.
• Socially isolated young people, looked after young people, young people leaving care, young offenders, young people from some BME communities, drug users, LGBT young people and young people with mental health problems are particularly vulnerable to housing and homelessness problems.
• Young people are considerably less likely than other age groups to obtain advice with their homelessness problems.
• The impact of young people’s housing and homelessness problems on individuals, wider society and public services is very substantial. Individuals can experience adverse consequences to their health and well-being, educational achievement, and involvement in society. Evidence linking homelessness with crime strengthens the economic case for investing in early intervention and prevention advice.
• Getting timely, good quality legal advice can bring young people experiencing housing problems enormous benefits across the five Every Child Matters outcomes.
• The legal aid system is failing to meet young people’s needs for specialist advice.
• Government youth policy has, until now, largely ignored young people’s housing and homelessness needs, but current initiatives offer the potential to make progress.

To download the full Locked Out report – PDF version click here

For further information, please contact:
James Kenrick, Advice Services Development Manager at Youth Access
Email: james@youthaccess.org.uk
Telephone: 020 8772 9900