Homelessness
Whether you are homeless, unhappy at home or thinking about leaving home, it is important to know what help and support there is available to you.
‘Homelessness’ stands for not having a home. Even if you have a roof over your head you can still be homeless. This is because you may not have any rights to stay where you live or your home might be unsuitable for you.
What does it mean?
Homelessness affects a wide variety of people
You don't have to be just sleeping on the streets to be classed as homeless. You might also be legally homeless if you are temporarily staying with friends or family, staying in a hostel or bed and breakfast, living in very overcrowded conditions, at risk of violence or abuse in your home or living in poor conditions that affect your health.
Other conditions that can mean you are described as homeless include living somewhere that you have no legal right to stay in (e.g. a squat), living somewhere that you can't afford to pay for without depriving yourself of basic essentials, or being forced to live apart from your family or from someone you would normally live with because your accommodation isn't suitable.
Homelessness affects a wide variety of people; it affects some young people who are leaving home for the first time.
How do people become homeless?
You could become homeless for many different reasons. These could include:
- being evicted by your landlord
- losing your job
- health problems
- relationship problems
- a disaster such as fire or flooding
What do I do if I am homeless or am about to become homeless?
- Herts Young Homeless Group give support and advice for 16-25 year old young people who are homeless or who are threatened with homelessness. They offer access to advice on Social Security benefits, debts and other issues affecting young people, e.g. employment, training and health matters. They can give support with claiming benefits, finding long-term and emergency accommodation, and budgeting.
- If you need temporary or emergency accommodation, contact a nightshelter. The Shelter organisation also give free, confidential, impartial and independent housing advice, assistance and advocacy to anyone who is homeless or has a housing related problem. Click here for Shelter locally, or here for the national Shelter website.
Find out more about homelessness:
Want to learn more about your housing options as a young person and leaving home? Herts Young Homeless Group are offering Secondary Schools in Hertfordshire the opportunity to have a workshop from the professionals on these issues. If you think your class, year or school would be interested please mention this to your teacher and e-mail education@hyhg.org