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 Youth
Homelessness - Daniel's Story
Between 36,000 and 52,000 young people are estimated to have been
‘found homeless’ in England in 2003, according to research by York
University. Homelessness can be a terrible experience for young people
and it can have a massive impact on people for the rest of their lives.
Being homeless is a very confusing time and in many cases young people
don't know where to turn to for help, as Daniel's story below shows.
Here we lay out what help is available and some of the common issues
young people face when they are threatened with homelessness.
Daniel's Story
Daniel, now 16, was born and lives in Wigan Borough. We have not printed
his second name to protect his identity.
"When I was 13 I got kicked out of my house for thieving off my family,
being naughty at school and smoking weed. I was stealing money to buy
weed. When I first got kicked out, my uncle let me stop at his. However,
my uncle soon moved out to go and live with his mates.
"I managed to get a job with one of my mates helping him put up fencing,
so I ended up staying at my uncle's for about a year and a half. I was
earning £20 a day and I managed to look after myself. At first I found
it quite difficult but I've been brought up to look after myself, so I
soon settled into it and I was quite comfortable. My parents helped me a
bit but I knew how to cook, wash clothes and how to wash up after
myself. I missed my family a bit, but because of the drugs I wasn't
really bothered. I didn't have lots of mates around the place 'cause I
knew I wouldn't be able to look after the place if I did. I didn't go
out with my mates much either; I preferred to stay indoors. If I go out
I tend to get into trouble through vandalising and things like that, so
I stay in all the time.
"After a while, I ended up going back home but I got kicked out again a
couple of months later. My uncle got evicted for non-payment of rent so
I couldn't go back to his place. I was paying him from the money I was
getting for the fencing job but he wasn't paying the rent, so I ended up
moving into a place with some people in Leigh. It was a lot worse for me
compared to when I was living at my uncles because I didn't have a job
and none of the people I was living with would sort me out with food or
anything. The people I was living with were all d*******s. They were bad
people. They were all doing stuff like drinking White Lightening (cider)
at 7.30am in the morning. I couldn't live with it. I don't know how long
I was there but I think it was about four or five months. My uncle would
help me out every now and again with supplies and I kept going down to
Connexions and they would help me out a bit when they could. Most of the
time I had nothing so eventually I ended up going back home.
"Now I've been kicked out again (Daniel didn't want to say why). For the
past three months I've been staying with a mate but it's only a
temporary thing. She's got a daughter and she can't afford to pay for me
as well so I need to get out of her way so she can sort out her own
life. Now I'm looking for somewhere to live and then I need to get a
job. I'll just take things from there. Things have just hit me really.
I've got to change what I'm used to. It's scary but at the same time I
realise I've got to sort things out for myself."
Daniel is currently looking to move into temporary accommodation. He is
being helped by a Personal Adviser from the Connexions service at Ena
Mill in Atherton. Connexions is agency that can help if you, or anyone
you know, is threatened with homelessness.
Homelessness – Who is Responsible?
By law, young people under the age of 18 have a right to housing.
However, housing legislation is very complicated and which agency is
responsible for housing a homeless young person depends on individual
circumstances.
• If you are under the age of 16 you have no right to alternative
housing unless you are suffering abuse at home. Young people will only
be taken out of their parents/carers home if Social Services decide a
young person's safety is at risk. If you are being abused you need to
report it to either the police, a Connexions Personal Advisor or another
responsible adult - like a teacher - and ask them to report it to Social
Services. If Social Services decide that you need to be removed from
your parents'/carers' home, you will be taken into care or re-housed
with a foster family.
• Once you reach 18 you have no statuary right to accommodation, which
basically means you have to rent privately or fill in a housing
application like everyone else.
Recommended Link:
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www.connexions-wigan.org.uk
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