Definition and numbers
Rough sleeping
At worst, homelessness can mean sleeping rough on the streets and agencies report that nearly 3500 people slept rough last year in London alone[1]. However the problem of homelessness is much bigger than that of rough sleeping. As the Government itself stated in 2003: "the vast majority of homeless people are actually families or single people who are not literally sleeping on the streets but living with relatives and friends or in temporary accommodation"[2].
Who is entitled to housing from local authorities?
Local authorities have a duty to house some homeless people and, every year, tens of thousands of people apply to their local authority for homelessness assistance.
To be legally defined as homeless you must either lack a secure place in which you are entitled to live or not reasonably be able to stay in your current accommodation. However, in order for your local authority to have a duty to find you housing, there are further strict criteria that you have to meet. The housing a local authority provides to households who meet these criteria, mainly families with children, may initially be temporary accommodation.
If you don't have dependent children (known as ‘single homelessness') and you are not deemed to be more vulnerable than other homeless people, you probably won't be entitled to housing. The vast majority of single homeless people who are not entitled to housing, as well as those who, for a variety of reasons do not even apply for homelessness assistance, end up surviving out of sight. These are the hidden homeless.
Hostels and the hidden homeless
There are more than 50,000 bed spaces in hostels for single homeless people in England but many find other ways to get by. This might mean staying in B&Bs or squats, in overcrowded accommodation or ‘concealed' housing, such as the floors or sofas of friends and family. For every known rough sleeper, there are around 100 people in hostels, up to 600 adults living in ‘concealed' households and upwards of 1,100 households in overcrowded accommodation.[3]
If you do not qualify for local authority housing assistance, if you are sleeping rough, staying in a hostel or in some form of unsatisfactory or insecure accommodation, then you are one of the countless thousands of hidden homeless people.
Homelessness amongst different groups
Anyone can become homeless but some groups' homelessness may be caused by different factors and they may experience homelessness in a different way.
Homelessness for both men and women is often caused by a culmination of events. However, the triggers and experiences of women's homelessness tend to be of a distinct nature.
Whilst the vast majority will not become homeless, migrants, refugees and asylum seekers are particularly vulnerable to homelessness.
[1] Broadway (2009) Street to Home, Annual Report for London, 1st April 2008 to 31st March 2009
[2] ODPM - More Than a Roof: a report into tackling homelessness, March 2003 (accessed 29/6/09)
[3] NPC (2008) Lost Property
