The #Planforthe136k – which is a coalition of over 140 youth, homelessness and housing organisations – hosted an event in Parliament today.
Jo Platt – the MP for Leigh and Atherton – visited to show her support and to learn more about the campaign to end youth homelessness.
During the event, Jo spoke to young people with lived experience and charity sector experts on the urgent issue of youth homelessness. They discussed solutions to end the crisis.
Jo Platt said: “Homelessness is a real issue in my constituency of Leigh and Atherton. It’s awful that some people don’t have a place to call home, and more needs to be done to help those that are homeless to get back onto their feet.
“It’s worrying to hear that there’s been an increase in youth homelessness specifically, and I wholeheartedly support the coalition’s mission to ensure that this problem is given the air time it deserves within the forthcoming homelessness strategy.”
Centrepoint research into the scale of youth homelessness in the UK found that almost 136,000 young people asked for help from their local council in 2022/2023, because they were homeless or at risk of homelessness. This represents a five per cent increase compared to the previous financial year.
In response to this emergency, a collective of more than 140 youth, homelessness and housing organisations, is campaigning for the inclusion of a chapter on young people within the Government’s forthcoming cross-government homelessness strategy.