UK Government Launches Plan to Prevent Homelessness Among Care Leavers

The UK government has launched a Care Leaver Homelessness Reduction Action Plan as part of its drive to end rough sleeping. Minister for Children, Families and Wellbeing Josh MacAlister stated that the goal is to ensure that no young person becomes homeless when they leave care. The plan aims to provide a support network for care leavers, helping them transition into adult life. This initiative follows a national review into the deaths of care leavers, which revealed harrowing circumstances of vulnerable young adults left abandoned without support.

Care leavers are far more likely to experience homelessness than the wider population. Since 2019, the number of 18- to 20-year-olds with experience of care who receive homelessness support has grown at almost three times the rate of the population overall. The government acknowledges its responsibility to change this situation, having parented these young people. The new plan builds on existing support, including the Staying Close programme, which helps young people find a home near people they know with ongoing support from a trusted adult.

The Care Leaver Homelessness Reduction Action Plan introduces new rules for local authorities, requiring them to publish plans for care leavers' accommodation needs and work with housing partners. Councils must also support those at risk of homelessness in their local offer for care leavers and publish the housing and support they offer. Additionally, the plan changes the "intentional homelessness" rule for some care leavers under 25, ensuring they receive more help.

The "intentional homelessness" rule previously applied to young people leaving care, even if they had no family to turn to. This rule could result in reduced help for those who lost their home due to circumstances beyond their control. The new plan addresses this issue, providing more support for vulnerable young people. Furthermore, the government is investing £25 million in the Staying Close programme this year to help young people find a home with ongoing support.

The government is also making it a national duty for eligible care leavers up to the age of 25 to receive dedicated support with work, health, education, and housing after leaving care. This support is specifically designed for those most at risk of homelessness. The Enduring Relationships programme, launched in the summer, aims to provide a support network for young people who have been in care, reducing the risk of loneliness and isolation.

Minister Josh MacAlister emphasized that a home is something most people take for granted, but many young people leaving care struggle to secure one. The government's plan aims to ensure that every young person leaving care has a home and a support network to rely on. The initiative has been welcomed as a step towards addressing the shameful situation of care leavers facing homelessness.

The UK government's efforts to address homelessness among care leavers include a commitment to halve the proportion of care leavers under 25 needing homelessness help by the end of this parliament. The Care Leaver Homelessness Reduction Action Plan is a key part of this effort, providing a comprehensive approach to supporting vulnerable young people as they transition into adult life.

Key points

• The UK government aims to halve the proportion of care leavers under 25 needing homelessness help by the end of this parliament.