By Laura Munt, Director of Prevention Services, Depaul UK
Nearly 47% of young people in England fear they could become homeless within the next year – a statistic I find breathtaking.
With rising living costs and limited housing options, many 18–24-year-olds are living close to crisis. But homelessness is not inevitable. Every day, we see that it can be prevented, if we act early and take a holistic approach.
Youth homelessness rarely stems from a single event.
Research shows that family breakdown is consistently the single biggest driver in youth homelessness. Financial pressures, poor mental health, abuse, neglect, and overcrowded housing can slowly push young people and families to breaking point. These pressures are economic and structural, and they often interact creating a cycle that is difficult to escape.
That complexity is exactly why prevention must start early and take a holistic approach. No single service can solve challenges that are layered and interconnected. If we want to stop homelessness before it starts, support must begin long before it reaches crisis point.
A key part of our prevention work is reaching children and young people before homelessness becomes a risk. Through targeted school and community workshops, children as young as 11 learn to identify the risk factors in their lives, from conflict and relationships to decision-making. Staff ensure they know where to turn for help and how best to stay safe.
One workshop can be a turning point; a student might disclose a parent’s mental health struggles or the family’s financial hardship. That’s when we can step in early and support the whole family before issues spiral.
Because children cannot always ask for help, the adults around them are critical. We train teachers, youth workers and health professionals to spot early signs of poverty or conflict so families can be supported before crisis hits.
For families already under strain, mediation and practical support can be transformative. We connect families with mental health services, debt advice, and tools to rebuild communication. This support isn’t just about resolving immediate conflict. It’s about relieving the pressures that destabilise families and can ultimately push young people into homelessness.
A lack of social and affordable housing means many young people spend years, not months, in supported accommodation. Without tailored support there is a real risk of becoming stuck.
In our supported accommodation, young people receive mental health support, life skills coaching, and access to education, training, or work opportunities. Our approach is personalised: helping young people address their trauma, rebuild their self-esteem, and develop practical skills like budgeting, cooking, and preparing for interviews. This helps young people live independently, build stability and reduce the risk of returning to homelessness.
Prevention also means reshaping the systems young people rely on. Encouraging news is that recent changes to fairer housing and welfare policies now mean more young people in supported accommodation can work, earn, and progress without risking the roof over their heads. More government investment in youth-specific accommodation and prevention services in targeted communities is great news too. We look forward to working with government to ensure these changes are implemented to help young people.
Youth homelessness is preventable when support is given early and tailored to a young person’s unique journey. Our prevention model shows how:
By providing support at every level, we can stop more young people from reaching crisis point. When early intervention, family support, safe housing, and fairer Government systems work together, young people can build the stability, skills, and confidence they need not only to survive, but to thrive.