YOUTH homelessness in the South West has increased 58 per cent in the past year, compared to a 10 per cent national average increase, new data from national charity Centrepoint reveals.

The news comes as Nationwide marks one year since the launch of Safe Spaces across more than 400 of its branches to provide a place for people subjected to domestic abuse – which Centrepoint has found is the cause for one in ten young people experiencing homelessness.

Centrepoint’s annual Youth Homelessness Databank, the UK’s only comprehensive measurement of youth homelessness, shows that more than 13,800 young people aged 16 to 24 in the South West presented themselves to local authorities as homeless or at risk in 2023/24. This compares to around 8,700 the previous year.

This year only 8,000 young people approaching their council because they were facing homelessness – just over half the total – received the assessment they are entitled to. In practice, this could mean thousands of vulnerable young people in the South West are stuck in dangerous or risky situations, trapped sofa surfing or in some cases forced to sleep rough while they wait for councils to support them.

As part of Nationwide’s “Fairer Futures” strategy, the building society works with Centrepoint to make grants to homelessness charities across the UK. Smaller charities with local expertise often make the biggest impact in a city or town, but a chronic lack of funding means that their spaces can go without refurbishment for years – making it harder for young people to bounce back from the often-traumatic experience of homelessness.

The ‘More than a Roof’ grants are designed to help these smaller charities go further than they would be able to otherwise, helping boost their services and improve quality of life for the young people who need their services.

Dr Tom Kerridge, policy and research manager at Centrepoint, said: “Our research suggests that councils across the South West are dealing with rising levels of youth homelessness, and that a large proportion of these young people might not be getting the support they are legally entitled to. In some cases, councils could be forced to make difficult yet illegal decisions around who is supported because they simply don’t have the resources to help everyone. Sadly, we’re hearing from an increasing number of young people in desperate situations who have been turned away, including those who are pregnant or fleeing domestic abuse. This is unlawful and shouldn’t be happening.

“We must do everything we can to help turn the tide for the thousands of young people facing homelessness in the region and beyond.”

Charlotte Kensett, director of customer experience and social impact at Nationwide, said: “These shocking statistics bring home the need for national support for young people experiencing homelessness. Everyone deserves a fair chance at life, but not everyone is dealt a fair hand, so it’s only right that through our work with Centrepoint we make these grants available to charities across the UK. It’s not just about the quantity of beds; it’s about quality of life.”