The evidence of homelessness in older people

It is not easy to get accurate figures for numbers of older people who are homeless. Different agencies use different age bands, not all agencies monitor age and some forms of homelessness are still very hidden.  However it is clear that there are older people who have been long term homeless and others are becoming homeless in later life.

Causes of homelessness in older People

Research into the causes of homelessness in older people found that two thirds of the respondents had never been homeless before, and 50% did not seek advice when threatened with homelessness, this in itself suggests that a proportion might have been able to sustain housing if they had received help.

This research identifies a number of triggers for homelessness in older age, bereavement, relationship breakdown, financial problems and debt, ill health and problems with landlords, co-tenants and neighbours. For most people it is a combination of these events and underlying vulnerabilities that lead to an increase in housing instability. An understanding of these causes can help to identify where to target interventions in order to prevent future homelessness in older people.The page on triggers that can lead to homelessness explore some of these issues in more depth.

statutory homeless - the figures

Of the 53,430 households accepted as homeless and in priority need in England in 2008/9 an estimated 4,840 (1) of the applicants were over the age of 50 years. This is 9% of the total acceptances. However, of total acceptances onyl 2% of people were accepted as in priority need due to old age. The rest of the 9% of acceptances people will mainly have additional vulnerabilities such as physical or mental health problems.

Older People sleeping rough

The 2010 total of street counts in authorities with a known or suspected rough sleeping problem was 440 . There is no age breakdown for national figures but generally around 18% are over the age of 50 years.

Broadway produce reports quarterly with accurate figures broken down for people contacted sleeping rough in London. In 2009/10 3673 people were seen rough sleeping in London . Of those 5454 people contacted by outreach or building base services or arriving in or departing from accommodation 21% were aged between 46 years and 55 years  and 10% were aged over 55 years, which is also consistent with the previous three years.

Among those in London that that have been recognised as the most entrenched and hard to reach rough sleepers the average age is 50 years and the group have had an average duration of street homelessness in excess of 8 years. An interesting report     ' Still left out -The rough sleepers '205' initiative one year on'  by Crisis  looks at the needs of this group and makes recommendations for more effective services.

Hostel dwellers

There are an estimated 50,000 hostel and second stage beds available to homeless people in England. Research carried out in 2004 estimated the number people over 50 in hostels was 5,000. This is still broadly accurate. Homeless Link's annual research on the homeless sector shows that around 40% of hostels do not accept older people (as they are for young homeless people). In projects that do accept older people around 17% of the population is over the age of 50 years. There is some evidence from older people's needs audits carried out by a small number of  local authorities that a significant percentage of this population have had long stays in temporary accommodation, often the same hostel for years.

Other groups of older homeless people

The research carried out in 2004 identified another 12,000 older people self placed in B&Bs, plus 24,000 staying with friends and family in overcrowded conditions plus small numbers at imminent risk of eviction or imminently to be released from prison.

What are the routes into homelessness for older people?

The study on the causes of homelessness in older people completed in 2003 found that:

•  27% of the subjects had been in the armed forces or merchant navy.
• 71% had worked for most of their adult lives.
• Almost half had been in rented social housing, 28% in the private rented sector and 16% owned their own homes. Some had been living with relatives or a partner or friends and others had been in shared lodgings. 

These figures give some indication about where help should be targeted to prevent older people from becoming homeless.

 Notes

(1) The figures show 45-59 year olds so in order to arrive at a figure for over 50's two thirds of that figure has been used.

 The next page looks at the policy drivers and incentives to work on preventing homelessness in older people