Campaigns and Research Why LGBTQ+ youth homelessness should be on your radar Up 24% of young people experiencing homelessness identify as LGBTQ+. 78% of LGBTQ+ youth homelessness could be preventable, as it is caused by familial rejection, abuse and ejection from the home. The impact on LGBTQ+ young people’s health, wellbeing, safety, and life chances (education, employment) is much greater than their peers. Less than half (44 per cent) of LGBTQ+ young people were aware of housing support services the last time they experienced homelessness. Over half (59 per cent) of LGBTQ+ young people have faced some form of discrimination or harassment while accessing services. This LGBTQ+ history month, akt have created a timeline of political and historical landmarks that have impacted queer life in the UK and beyond. This timeline shows how far we have come, and how much of a fight we still have left. CLICK HERE TO WRITE TO YOUR MP Learn more about our calls of action by reading our LGBTQ+ Homelessness Briefing Our five calls to action A national, cross governmental strategy on LGBTQ+ youth homelessness- LGBTQ+ young experience homelessness in distinct ways and are disproportionately impacted by homelessness. We need a strategy that responds to their needs and experiences. Every young person should count – LGBTQ+ young people largely remain ‘hidden’ within official homelessness data. We want to see standardised inclusive monitoring of gender identity and sexuality in housing and homelessness services. Every young person should be able to access safe and inclusive housing support- LGBTQ+ young people should be incorporated within the polices, strategies and procedures of housing providers and young people must be included within the Homelessness Code of Guidance. No young person should face recurring homelessness- we must build pathways into safe, affordable, and inclusive housing including increased investment in inclusive emergency housing and social housing No young person should have to live in unsafe, poor and unaffordable housing- we want to see stronger rights for LGBTQ+ private renters and wider reform of the private rented sector We carry out research on the issues affecting LGBTQ+ young people and develop the policy solutions needed to improve outcomes akt has released several reports over the last few years detailing the realities for young LGBTQ+ people facing homelessness in the UK, you can read summaries, or download, the following reports: Download our latest impakt report Report on Building Inclusive Housing Support for LGBTQ+ Communities, 2022 The LGBTQ+ Youth Homelessness Report, 2021 Our Guidance Report for Homeless Services on how to Support Trans Young People, 2021 Read all our individual briefings here Our Official Statements: Our Statement on data from the 2021 Census Our Statement on 2022 Hate Crime Statistics https://www.akt.org.uk/statement-renters-reform-coalition Statement: 2023 Hate Crime Statistics Cost of Living The cost of living crisis is affecting people up and down the UK. To make the crisis easier for young LGBTQ+ people, we have three main policy asks that we want the government to implement. Read our cost of living policy asks here Manage Cookie Preferences