Summary
Homelessness means not having a safe, stable and suitable place to live. It does not only mean sleeping on the streets. You may be homeless if you are staying temporarily with friends or family, “sofa surfing”, staying in emergency or temporary accommodation, living in a hostel or refuge, or staying somewhere that is unsafe or unreasonable for you to remain. You may also be at risk of homelessness if you have been asked to leave your home, received an eviction notice or know that you will soon lose your accommodation.
People can experience homelessness for many different reasons, and there is rarely one simple cause. This might include:
- Financial difficulties, unemployment or loss of income
- Rent or mortgage arrears and rising living costs
- Eviction or being asked to leave your home
- Family or relationship breakdown
- Domestic abuse, violence or feeling unsafe at home
- Leaving care, hospital or prison without suitable accommodation
- Difficulties accessing benefits or delays with payments
- Physical or mental health difficulties
- Disability or difficulties accessing appropriate support
- Substance use difficulties
- Unsafe, unsuitable or overcrowded housing
- Problems with a landlord or tenancy
- Discrimination or exploitation
- Bereavement or other major life changes
- Moving to a new area without secure accommodation
- Lack of affordable or suitable housing
- Losing access to a temporary place to stay, such as sofa surfing with friends or family
Often, several of these difficulties can happen at the same time. Homelessness is not always the result of one decision or event, and people can need support for many different reasons.
For some people, housing difficulties develop gradually. Rent or bills may become harder to manage, relationships at home may become increasingly difficult, or someone may start falling behind with payments. For others, homelessness can happen suddenly following an eviction, relationship breakdown, abuse or another unexpected event. Recognising problems early can give you more time to seek advice and explore your options.
You do not need to be sleeping rough before asking for help. If you think you may lose your home, have been asked to leave or are struggling to remain where you currently live, seek housing advice as soon as possible. Your local council can assess your circumstances and explain what housing support may be available. The type of support you can access will depend on your circumstances, including factors such as where you live, whether you are already homeless and whether you have children or other support needs.
Homelessness can affect many areas of everyday life. You may have to move between different places, carry your belongings with you, rely on other people for somewhere to stay or worry about where you will sleep next. You may struggle to maintain routines, keep belongings safe, access food and washing facilities, attend school or work, travel to appointments or keep in contact with friends and family.
Living without stable accommodation can also affect physical and mental health. You may feel stressed, frightened, embarrassed, angry, lonely or overwhelmed. Constant uncertainty can make it difficult to sleep, concentrate or plan. If you already experience anxiety, depression, trauma or another mental health difficulty, housing instability may make these symptoms harder to manage. Physical health conditions can also become more difficult to manage when you do not have somewhere safe to rest, store medication or prepare food.
Homelessness can happen to people from many different backgrounds, and needing housing support is not something to be ashamed of. The situation can feel overwhelming, but you do not have to solve everything at once.
How to help myself
If you are homeless or worried that you may lose your home, try to get advice as early as possible. You do not need to wait until you are sleeping rough. Contact your local council’s housing or homelessness service and explain your situation. They can assess your circumstances and tell you what support may be available.
Focus on your immediate needs first. If you do not have somewhere safe to stay, look for emergency or temporary accommodation and let someone know where you are. Make sure you have access to food, water, warm clothing, essential medication and somewhere safe to sleep. If you are in immediate danger, contact the emergency services.
Keep important documents and information safe where possible. This might include identification, your National Insurance number, bank details, benefit information, tenancy documents, eviction letters, prescriptions and important phone numbers. Taking secure photographs or keeping digital copies can be useful if physical documents are lost.
Keep a list of important contacts and appointments. Housing services, support workers, GPs, benefits advisers, charities and other professionals may be able to help with different parts of your situation. Write down names, phone numbers, appointment dates and anything you need to bring with you so that you do not have to remember everything when you are stressed.
If you are struggling financially, ask for advice rather than ignoring bills or letters. You may be entitled to benefits, hardship support or other financial assistance. A local advice service, council or benefits adviser can help you understand what you are entitled to and what options are available.
Try to maintain some routine where you can. When your housing situation is uncertain, everyday routines can be difficult, but small things such as eating regularly, taking medication, washing, getting some sleep and staying connected with supportive people can help you manage.
Look after your mental health as well as your housing needs. Homelessness can be frightening and exhausting, and it is understandable if you feel overwhelmed, angry, anxious or low. Talk to someone you trust and consider speaking to your GP or a mental health professional if you are struggling.
If you are staying with friends or family, try to talk openly about how long you can stay and what you both need. Having clear expectations around things such as sleeping arrangements, food, privacy and household responsibilities can help prevent misunderstandings.
If you are leaving an unsafe or abusive situation, prioritise your safety rather than worrying about belongings or trying to resolve everything immediately. A domestic abuse service, refuge or other specialist organisation can help you make a safety plan and explore your housing options.
Take things one step at a time. You may have several problems to deal with at once, but you do not have to solve everything in one day. Start with finding somewhere safe, meeting your immediate needs and contacting the right services, then work through the longer-term issues with support.
How to help a loved one
If someone you care about is homeless or at risk of homelessness, they may be experiencing a lot of uncertainty, stress and shame. Try to listen without judgement and avoid making assumptions about how they became homeless. Let them know that you are there to support them without making them feel blamed for their situation.
Help them focus on immediate needs first. If they do not have somewhere safe to stay, support them to contact their local council’s housing or homelessness service. You could help them make the phone call, find the right service, attend an appointment or write down important information. If they are in immediate danger, help them contact the emergency services.
Offer practical support where you can. This might include providing a meal, helping them access food, offering somewhere safe to charge their phone, helping them keep important belongings or documents secure, giving them a lift to appointments or helping them organise paperwork. Small practical things can make a difficult situation feel more manageable.
If they are staying with you, talk openly about what you can realistically offer. Agree expectations around how long they can stay, sleeping arrangements, food, privacy, household responsibilities and what will happen next. Being clear from the beginning can help protect your relationship and prevent misunderstandings.
Encourage them to access professional support rather than trying to manage everything yourself. Housing services, benefits advisers, charities, social workers, GPs and mental health professionals can each provide different types of help. You can support them to contact these services while allowing them to remain involved in decisions about their own situation.
Be aware of their mental health. Homelessness can contribute to anxiety, low mood, stress, hopelessness, isolation and difficulties with sleep. You do not need to fix these feelings, but you can listen, check in and encourage them to seek professional support if they are struggling.
If they are leaving an abusive or unsafe home, prioritise their safety. Avoid pressuring them to return to an unsafe environment or confronting an abusive person yourself. Support them to contact a specialist domestic abuse service, refuge or other appropriate organisation.
Respect their independence and choices where possible. You may have ideas about what they “should” do, but housing situations can be complicated, and there may be barriers that are not immediately visible. Ask what they need rather than assuming, and offer choices when you can.
Myth Buster
Myth: “Homeless people just need to get a job.”
Truth: Homelessness can happen for many reasons, including unaffordable housing, relationship breakdown, domestic abuse, health difficulties, eviction and financial problems. Finding work may help some people, but it does not solve every barrier to finding safe and stable accommodation.
Myth: “If you are homeless, you must be sleeping on the streets.”
Truth: Homelessness can include sleeping rough, sofa surfing, staying in temporary accommodation, hostels or refuges, or living somewhere that is unsafe or unsuitable.
Myth: “You have to be sleeping rough before you can get help.”
Truth: You can seek housing advice if you are at risk of becoming homeless or have been asked to leave your home. Getting support early may give you more options.
Myth: “Homelessness is always the result of bad choices.”
Truth: People can become homeless because of circumstances outside their control, such as eviction, rising living costs, domestic abuse, family breakdown, bereavement or changes in income.
Myth: “If someone has friends or family, they cannot be homeless.”
Truth: Someone may be unable to stay with friends or family, or may only have somewhere to stay temporarily. Sofa surfing can still mean that someone does not have a safe and stable home.
Myth: “Homeless people are all the same.”
Truth: Homelessness affects people of different ages, backgrounds and circumstances. People may have very different experiences and support needs.
Myth: “Asking for help means you have failed.”
Truth: Housing difficulties can happen to anyone. Asking for advice and support can be an important step towards finding safer and more stable accommodation.
Myth: “You cannot do anything to help someone who is homeless.”
Truth: You cannot solve someone’s housing situation by yourself, but listening without judgement, helping them access services, offering practical support and encouraging them to seek professional advice can make a real difference.
Support
If you are homeless or worried that you may become homeless, seek help as early as possible. You do not need to wait until you are sleeping rough. Your local council’s housing or homelessness service should be one of the first places to contact. They can assess your circumstances, explain your housing options and let you know what support may be available.
If you are aged 16 or 17, leaving care, pregnant, have children, are vulnerable because of your circumstances or have other support needs, make sure you explain this when you contact the council, as it may affect what support you are entitled to.
Shelters, hostels, supported accommodation and refuges may provide somewhere safe to stay while longer-term housing is arranged. Availability and eligibility vary, so a housing adviser, council or specialist organisation can help you understand what is available in your area.
If money is contributing to your housing difficulties, seek advice about benefits, rent arrears and other financial support. Citizens Advice, local welfare services and housing advisers can help you understand your options and may be able to support you with applications or communication with landlords and other organisations.
If you are experiencing domestic abuse or feel unsafe at home, specialist domestic abuse services can help you explore safe accommodation and safety planning. You do not have to return to an unsafe environment because you do not currently have somewhere else to stay.
Homelessness can also affect your physical and mental health. You can still access healthcare if you do not have a permanent address. Speak to a GP, pharmacist, mental health service or other healthcare professional if you are struggling with your physical or mental health. If you have difficulty registering with a GP, a local advice service can help you understand your options.
If you are a young person, speak to your school, college, university, social worker or another trusted professional. They may be able to help you contact housing services and identify additional support.
If you are sleeping rough, need somewhere safe to stay or are in immediate danger, seek urgent local support. If you are seriously unwell or in immediate danger, call 999 or go to A&E. You can also contact NHS 111 for urgent health or mental health support.
Therapy interventions
Therapy cannot solve the practical causes of homelessness, but it can provide support with the emotional and mental health difficulties that can develop alongside housing insecurity. A therapist can help you understand what you are experiencing, develop coping strategies and work through difficult experiences while you access practical housing support.
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) – CBT can help you understand the links between thoughts, feelings and behaviours. It may be helpful for anxiety, low mood, stress and coping with difficult situations.
- Trauma-Focused Therapy – If homelessness is connected to trauma, abuse or other frightening experiences, trauma-focused approaches can help you process what happened and manage trauma-related symptoms.
- Counselling – Counselling provides a safe space to talk about difficult experiences, relationships, loss, uncertainty and the emotional impact of homelessness.
- Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) – DBT can help with managing intense emotions, coping with distress, improving relationships and developing safer ways of responding when things feel overwhelming.
- Supportive Therapy – Sometimes the focus is simply on providing a consistent, supportive relationship while you work through immediate difficulties. This can include problem-solving, emotional support and identifying practical coping strategies.
Therapy can be provided alongside housing, financial, social and healthcare support. You do not need to have a mental health diagnosis to benefit from talking to someone, although the type of support available will depend on your circumstances and local services.
Helplines
Shelter
Shelter is a housing and homelessness charity providing free advice and support to people who are homeless, at risk of homelessness, facing eviction or experiencing problems with their housing. They can provide information about housing rights, homelessness, eviction, unsafe housing and steps to take to keep or find a home.
Phone: 0808 800 4444
Opening times: 8 am–5 pm, Monday–Friday
Website: http://www.shelter.org.uk
Centrepoint
Centrepoint is a youth homelessness charity providing housing advice, accommodation and support for young people experiencing or at risk of homelessness. They cover issues including housing, homelessness, eviction, benefits, employment, family difficulties and becoming independent.
Phone: 0808 800 0661
Opening times: 9 am–5 pm, Monday–Friday
Webchat: 9 am–4:30 pm, Monday–Friday
WhatsApp: 07557 255 965, 9 am–5 pm, Monday–Friday
Website: www.centrepoint.org.uk
Age: 16–25
StreetLink
StreetLink helps members of the public connect people who are sleeping rough with local outreach services. You can use StreetLink to report someone sleeping rough so that local services can make contact and offer support.
Phone: 0300 500 0914
Opening times: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Website: http://www.streetlink.org.uk
Citizens Advice
Citizens Advice is a charity providing free, confidential advice and support on issues including money, debt, benefits, housing, work, family problems, consumer rights and legal matters.
Website: www.citizensadvice.org.uk
Online chat: 9 am–5 pm, Monday–Friday
Phone (England): 0800 144 8848
Opening times (England): 9 am–5 pm, Monday–Friday; opening times can differ depending on where you live. Lines are closed on weekends and bank holidays.
Phone (Wales): 0800 702 2020
Opening times (Wales): 8am-7pm Monday to Friday and 9am-1pm Saturdays. Lines are closed on weekends and bank holidays.
Childline
Childline is a free service for young people to talk to a counsellor about anything. The service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Childline is available to anybody who is 18 years old or younger.
Phone: 0800 1111
Opening times: Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year
You can also find helpful resources, speak to a counsellor online or send a message on their site.
Website: www.childline.org.uk
For adults concerned about a child, the NSPCC can be contacted
NSPCC
NSPCC is a children’s charity that works to protect children and prevent abuse and neglect. They provide support and advice for adults about child abuse, neglect, child safety, online safety and children’s mental and emotional wellbeing.
Phone: 0808 800 5000
Opening times: 10 am–4 pm, Monday–Friday
Email: help@nspcc.org.uk
Email opening times: 11 am–4 pm, 7 days a week
Website: www.nspcc.org.uk
Samaritans
Samaritans is a charity providing emotional support to anyone who is struggling to cope or needs someone to talk to. They are there for people experiencing all sorts of difficulties, including stress, anxiety, loneliness, relationship or family problems, bereavement, feeling overwhelmed and concerns about mental health or suicide.
Phone: 116 123
Opening times: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year
Website: www.samaritans.org
Refuge
Refuge provides specialist support for women and children experiencing domestic abuse. Support includes the National Domestic Abuse Helpline, safety planning, community support and access to safe accommodation for women and children escaping domestic abuse.
Phone: 0808 2000 247
Opening times: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Live chat: 10 am–10 pm, Monday–Friday; 10 am–6 pm, Saturday–Sunday
Website: www.refuge.org.uk
Women’s Aid
Women’s Aid is a charity working to end domestic abuse and support women and children affected by it. They provide information, resources and access to specialist domestic abuse services, covering issues including physical abuse, emotional abuse, coercive control, safety and housing.
Phone: 0808 2000 247 – National Domestic Abuse Helpline (run by Refuge)
Opening times: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Website: www.womensaid.org.uk
NHS 111 (Option 2)
NHS 111 is an NHS service providing urgent medical and mental health advice and support. It can help with mental health concerns, emotional distress, anxiety, low mood, suicidal thoughts and other urgent health problems.
Phone: For mental health support, call 111 and select the mental health option (option 2).
Opening times: Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
