Youth Homelessness in the UK. A European Perspective

Abstract

Across Europe there has been a rise in the number of citizens excluded from society through homelessness particularly in the largest European economies. In the UK homelessness has become particularly prevalent among young people and increasingly visible through hundreds of young people sleeping “rough” in Central London. Legislation aimed at combating homelessness among young people has therefore concentrated on eradicating street sleeping. However, as this article reports, street sleeping is most common among young white men and not among young white women or young women and men of colour. In order to combat homelessness and social exclusion among all groups of young people wider definition of homelessness is required promoting long-term social housing initiatives.