Brain injury and homelessness

People experiencing homelessness are at high risk of brain injury, for example as a result of trauma, alcohol use or health issues. Brain injury is also a factor in the causes of homelessness, as it can change a person's behaviour and compromise the skills they need to function effectively in daily life.

People with brain injury might display issues such as challenging or impulsive behaviour, memory problems, and poor emotional control. There is a risk that services respond to these behaviours with warnings and evictions. This guidance aims to help frontline staff and managers to consider what underlying issues might be preventing someone from engaging appropriately, and how the staff team can try different ways of working in order to avoid repeat homelessness.