New research from leading youth homelessness charity Centrepoint has found 123,934 young people faced homelessness across the U.K. in 2024/25.
This represents a 6% increase of nearly 7,000 young people on the previous year, when 116,947 16- to 24-year-olds approached their council for help because they were homeless or at risk of homelessness.
The figures form part of the charity’s annual Youth Homelessness Databank, which monitors the scale of youth homelessness across the UK.
The latest data covers April 2024 to March 2025, and was obtained via Freedom of Information requests to English local authorities and the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, along with publicly available data from other Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
In England, during that period, 107,585 young people recorded as the main applicant reached out to their local councils for housing support due to being homelessness or at risk of homelessness – a 6% increase on the previous year (101,184).
In Wales, there was an 8% increase in the number of young people presenting as homeless – rising to 5,856 from the previous year, while Scotland also saw a slight increase of 2% (7,604).
However, in Northern Ireland, there was very little change in the number of young people reaching out for help – 2,896 in 2023/24 versus 2,889 in 2024/25.
Highest levels of youth homelessness in the North West
The North West had the highest levels of youth homelessness in the country last year, an increase of over a third. This was the sharpest rise in the country, rising 35% from 14,471 in 2023/24 to 19,587 in 2024/25.
This increase in the North West was more than double that of London, which nevertheless saw a significant spike in the number of young people seeking support. In the capital, 17,000 young people faced homelessness, an increase of 13% on the previous year, when 15,041 young people reached out for help.
In 2023/24, the most significant rise came in the South West (54%) and while the increase in the last year wasn’t as drastic, youth homelessness still rose by 5% rise to 12,890.
Despite being the region with the lowest levels of youth homelessness in the country (4,588), the North East recorded the second largest spike (14%), while in the West Midlands (12,899), East Midlands (8,988) and Yorkshire and Humber (8,331), youth homelessness increased by 7%.
Overall, all but two English regions – the East of England (10, 520) and the South East (12,782) – saw increases in the number of young people seeking help from their councils. However, despite these decreases, both regions still saw an alarming number of young people reaching out to their council for help.
Balbir Kaur Chatrik, Centrepoint’s Director of Policy and Prevention, said:
“Youth homelessness is at record levels, and this is another significant increase in the number of young people without a safe place to stay.
“The experience of homelessness is incredibly traumatic for anyone – but it has a particular effect on young people. At a time when most of their peers are thinking of university or starting careers, increasing numbers of the most vulnerable young people are stuck – often in terrifying situations – trying to navigate to support alone.
“By emphasising prevention and support the government’s Ending Homelessness Plan marked an important step in the right direction. We now urgently need to see a move from planning to delivery because, until we do, thousands more will be left waiting for meaningful action on night buses, strangers’ sofas, or worse.”
Family breakdown leads cause of youth homelessness
Family breakdown was once again the lead cause of youth homelessness in England for 2024/25 with the charity’s analysis of Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) data finding that over half (51%) of young people receiving prevention or relief duties in 2024/25 were homeless due family or friends no longer being willing or able to accommodate them.
This has long been the leading cause of youth homelessness and last year Centrepoint investigated it in more detail, finding family relationships are often put under additional strain by multiple challenges such as mental health issues, financial stress or overcrowding.
Domestic abuse was again the second highest cause of youth homelessness in England – 6,420 young people (11%) giving this is as the main reason for leaving their home.
Evictions from supported housing also increased this year, from 2,960 in 2023/24 to 4,300 in 2024/25. This rise contributed to 7% of youth homelessness in 2024/25, making it the third highest reason for a young person being without a home.
The other primary causes for youth homelessness were the young person’s assured shorthold tenancy ending (3,950) and a young person having their asylum support terminated (3,570).
Centrepoint’s Databank was launched in Parliament on the 25th February.
