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Homelessness in London: why youth homelessness needs its own solution

Hosted by the LSE Homelessness Initiative and CASE

In-person and online public event (Hong Kong Theatre, Clement House)

Speakers

Ellie Benton

Ellie Benton

Meghan Roach

Meghan Roach

Alicia Walker

Alicia Walker

Chair

Dr Tania Burchardt

Dr Tania Burchardt

An estimated 20,000 young people in London were experiencing homelessness, or were at risk of homelessness, in 2022/23. This represents a 10% increase compared to 2021/22, with a similar trend seen nationally. Crucially, estimates suggest that 48% of all young people experiencing homelessness do not contact their local authority, or face barriers in doing so. The event will explore why youth homelessness in London has increased; the special needs of young people experiencing homelessness; the challenges for London’s local authorities and voluntary organisations in addressing these issues; and proposals for helping solve the problem of youth homelessness.

Meet our speakers and chair

Ellie Benton is Research Officer at LSE’s Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion (CASE). Ellie leads on qualitative research across a range of topics impacting low-income communities. Recently, Ellie worked with CASE colleagues Laura Lane and Ruby Russell, in partnership with New Horizon Youth Centre, on research exploring the barriers young people experiencing homelessness face in accessing local authority support. 

Meghan Roach is Director of Operations at New Horizon Youth Centre, a day centre for young people experiencing homelessness based in Kings Cross. Meghan oversees New Horizon’s core frontline services across Rough Sleeping, Housing, Health, Youth Work and Youth Justice. She also leads on safeguarding and spearheaded their operational refocusing during the pandemic and the piloting of London’s first youth-specific emergency accommodation. 

Alicia (Lily) Walker is Assistant Director of Advocacy and Activism at Shelter. Previously, Lily was Head of Policy, Research, and Campaigns at Centrepoint and held roles at HM Treasury and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. She is a trustee at The Connection at St Martin’s and Chair of the Board at the women's refugee support organisation the Routes Collective. 

Dr Tania Burchardt is Associate Director of LSE’s Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion (CASE), Deputy Director of STICERD, and Associate Professor in the Department of Social Policy at LSE. 

More about this event

This event will be available to watch on LSE Live. LSE Live is the new home for our live streams, allowing you to tune in and join the global debate at LSE, wherever you are in the world. If you can't attend live, a video will be made available shortly afterwards on LSE's YouTube channel.

The Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion (@CASE_LSE) examines different dimensions of social disadvantage, and analyses the impact of public policy. 

The LSE Homelessness Initiative is a volunteer organisation for staff concerned about the homlessness crisis in London. The event will build on recent LSE research in partnership with New Horizon Youth Centre, which explored young people's experiences of interacting with local authority homelessness services in London.

This event is part of the ESRC Festival of Social Science 2024, taking place from 19 October to 9 November with events across the UK.

Hashtag for this event: #LSEEvents

Podcast & Video

A podcast of this event is available to download from Homelessness in London: why youth homelessness needs its own solution.

A video of this event is available to watch at Homelessness in London: why youth homelessness needs its own solution.

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Featured image (used in source code with watermark added): Photo by New Horizon Youth Centre.

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