Different types of homelessness
Many people think that ‘homelessness’ is simply another word for ‘rough sleeping’ (sleeping on the streets). However, sleeping rough actually accounts for just 7% of all homelessness in Wales. The different types of homelessness are outlined here.
Rough Sleeping
The most visible and harmful type of homelessness, currently affecting approx. 2,900 people each year in Wales and representing just 7% of people who are currently affected by homelessness in Wales.
‘Sleeping rough’ means sleeping on the streets. This could be on the pavement or on a bench, in a bus shelter or even in a commercial waste bin. Sleeping rough often means being exposed to the elements and also to unwanted attention from the general public:
People sleeping on the street are almost 17 times more likely to have been victims of violence and 15 times more likely to have suffered verbal abuse in the past year compared to the general public.
According to new research from Crisis, drawing on a survey of 458 recent or current rough sleepers in England and Wales, almost 8 out of 10 have suffered some sort of violence, abuse or anti-social behaviour in the past year – often committed by a member of the public – while nearly 7 in 10 (66%) report that life on the street is getting worse.
The report shows that for current or recent rough sleepers:
- More than 1 in 3 have been deliberately hit or kicked or experienced some other form of violence whilst homeless (35%)
- More than 1 in 3 have had things thrown at them whilst homeless (34%)
- Almost 1 in 10 have been urinated on whilst homeless (9%)
- More than 1 in 20 have been the victim of a sexual assault whilst homeless (7%)
- Almost half have been intimidated or threatened with violence whilst homeless (48%)
- Almost 6 in 10 have had been verbally abused or harassed whilst homeless (59%)
In Temporary/Emergency Accommodation
This can include night shelters, hostels, B&Bs, refuges (e.g. refuge for women) or accommodation from the private rented sector. How long an individual or household remains in temporary accommodation can vary significantly from a few weeks to a number of months and even years. There are currently approx. 2,300 households in temporary accommodation in Wales (equating to some 10,000 individuals).
The negative impact of this type of homelessness should not be underestimated. Children growing up in B&Bs often develop long-term health conditions and face difficulties later in life. Homelessness can impact on educational attainment: accessing school places may be difficult; absenteeism from school is more likely; homelessness may ‘single out’ a child in a new school, increasing the likelihood of bullying and isolation
Children affected by homelessness in this way are more likely to experience stress and anxiety, resulting in depression and behavioural issues, and more likely to experience homelessness again as an adult.
Hidden Homelessness
The majority of people experiencing homelessness are affected by hidden homelessness. ‘Hidden homelessness’ can mean staying at a friends house, sofa surfing, living in a squat or other unsuitable housing such as a car or shed. It may not be externally clear whether somebody is experiencing hidden homelessness, but this type of homelessness (as with all types) can be extremely harmful and leave a person very vulnerable.
The majority of people affected by this type of homelessness have also slept rough at some point.
In 2020 there were an estimated 3,250 households sofa-surfing on any given night.
At Risk of Homelessness
‘At risk of homelessness’ means that an individual or household is likely to experience homelessness if the appropriate support is not available/adequate measures put in place. Some estimates suggest that 1/3 of us are just one missed paycheck away from this, although it is difficult to provide an accurate estimation.
More than 30,000 households applied for homelessness assistance in Wales between April 2019 – March 2020 and, for this same period, the number of households who were given assistance due to being at risk homelessness within 56 days = 9,993 households.