Nearly half of young people who become homeless have been made to leave home because their parents no longer want to live with them, a report has shown.
Research by Homeless Link indicates of those young people approaching councils with homelessness applications, 44 per cent said their parents were no longer willing to house them, with 14 per cent saying a friend or relative would not accommodate them.
The survey of 169 councils and homelessness charities found a lack of accommodation for young people, with 68 per cent of respondents reporting there was not enough youth-specific housing in their area.
Forty three per cent of local authorities said they had been forced to place young people in bed and breakfast accommodation.
But the report also suggested improvements have been made to local authority homelessness services. Two thirds of local authorities say their joint working is effective or very effective, compared with about half last year.
The findings will place fresh pressure on the government, which is facing opposition to its plan to cut housing benefit for under 25-year-olds, accordng to Inside Housing:
George Osborne this month issued a fresh defence of the proposals on BBC radio, but Nick Clegg has stated publicly the plan is a ‘monumental mistake’.
Rick Henderson, chief executive of Homeless Link, said: ‘It is vital that young people, at the most important time of their lives, are given the support they need to realise their potential and enjoy a bright future.
‘For many, staying at home is simply not an option and these people need a helping hand, not an additional hurdle. That is why we are questioning the proposal to remove housing benefit for under-25s.
‘A severe shortage of affordable housing and the highest levels of youth unemployment in nearly 20 years mean many young people face significant barriers to achieving their goals. We are calling on the government to invest in their futures by ensuring the support is in place to make sure they have somewhere safe to call home.’