Who is most at Risk?

Homelessness can affect anyone — many factors can increase the risk of homelessness:

  • A girl with a sad or worried expression holding a briefcase, with an outline of a house in the background, within a purple circular background.

    Domestic abuse

    Often left with no choice but to leave their homes, many women and children are forced into unsafe or hidden situations, such as sofa-surfing or staying in emergency accommodation.

  • A woman with shoulder-length dark hair looking thoughtful, with a purple background. A thought bubble above her head contains icons of a heart, a house, and a puzzle piece.

    Complex and overlapping health needs

    Including mental health, trauma, substance misuse or neurodivergence. When services don’t join up or when support is hard to access, people can fall through the cracks.

  • A sad young man holding open a cardboard box in front of an open door.

    Leaving care

    Without strong support networks or long-term housing options, young adults leaving care are more likely to experience homelessness early in life.

  • A cartoon illustration of a person walking out of a building with a medical cross symbol above the door, indicating a healthcare facility.

    Leaving prison or hospital

    When someone leaves an institution without stable housing in place, they may quickly end up sleeping rough or in unsafe, temporary spaces.

  • A cartoon illustration of a girl with a thoughtful expression, with a thought bubble containing a house symbol with a question mark inside it.

    Life Events

    Pressures can be made worse by unexpected life events such as losing a job or going through a relationship breakdown.

A smiling man with a beard wearing a gray hoodie sitting at a wooden table in a busy café or restaurant, with other patrons in the background.

What is Homelessness?

Homelessness isn’t always visible. It can mean sleeping rough, staying in temporary hostels, or moving from one sofa to another — with no safe place to call your own. 

Person with hands clasped together, wearing a grey knitted sweater.

Help Someone

Homelessness is tough — and facing it alone can be overwhelming. But there are ways you can make a real difference in someone’s life, starting today.