With your help we can make it easier for young people leaving care to find a place they can call home.
No child should enter adulthood alone
Many young people rely on their family long after they're 18. But young people who have spent time in care don’t always have that safety net.
They might not have a family home to return to if something goes wrong, someone to phone when they aren’t sure how to fix a problem, or a guarantor to help them rent a place to live, often leaving them feel alone.
It’s an incredibly serious situation... I’ve had letting agents tell me a guarantor is mandatory so they can’t help me. I just hope things will change and care leavers will get the support they need.
Leo Dann, 21
Who grew up in care
The reality young people leaving care face
One in three care-experienced young people become homeless in the first two years after they leave care (APPG for Ending Homelessness, 2017). Over one in ten (13%) of young people leaving care said landlords were unwilling to rent to them (Centrepoint, 2017). This is often because they don’t have a parent who can lend them a deposit or act as a guarantor.
I have found the cost of accommodation challenging because I came from a broken, unorganised background, not a lot of places would take me, and those that would had a long waiting list.
Young person with experience of care on trying to find somewhere to live.
Campaigning for change
Young people leaving care deserve to be protected by law so landlords cannot discriminate against them when making decisions about who to let properties to.
This important change would make a difference to thousands of young people who are struggling to find suitable accommodation and would help reduce the chance of them ending up homeless or living in unsafe places.
We invited Leo and Shelby, two young people who grew up in care, to join us for our roundtable event in the Westminster Parliament to meet with politicians to talk about this issue. They spoke of their experiences and the challenges they faced accessing housing in the private sector.
Most young people have financial support from parents but the amount of help care leavers receive depends on where they live in the country. They should have equal opportunities to access appropriate housing in safe areas so they can have a positive outlook on life.
Shelby Walker, 26
Care leaver
After our roundtable event, we tabled an amendment to the Renters (Reform) Bill to call for more support for young people leaving care.
The Bill already included provisions to stop landlords discriminating against benefit claimants and those with children but lacked clear support for people leaving care.
Our amendment would have made it illegal for landlords to discriminate against young people if they had been in care. Over 350 of you emailed your MP to ask them to support this amendment and we got support from many MPs from all parties. Unfortunately, the amendment did not pass, however we aren’t stopping there.
Next steps
We are pleased to hear the Prime Minister’s commitment at the 2024 Labour Party Conference that young care leavers “will have a roof over their heads”. It’s crucial that these young people are provided with extra support so they can access both social and private rental homes and that if a care leaver should become homeless – the help they need is there. We will continue to work with both the Ministry for Housing and Planning on the Renters’ Right Bill and the Department for Education on the Child Wellbeing Bill to look at changes that can be introduced to ensure that all young people leaving care are supported to find a place they can call home.
Find out more about what we’re doing to help young people leaving care get fair access to accommodation.
The case for a national rent guarantor and deposit scheme
Our report asks local authorities in England to run a rent guarantor and deposit scheme to help care leavers.
Renters’ Rights Bill - House of Commons, Second Reading
As currently drafted the Renters’ Rights Bill provides no additional protection for young people who have recently left foster care or residential children’s homes. We believe the Bill should be amended to ensure care leavers seeking to rent in the private sector can get the help they need. Read more about our recommendations in our briefing.
Are you a young person leaving care? Get support
We know that taking your first steps into adulthood is both exciting and daunting. If it seems tough, don't worry. We're here to help. Across the UK, we have a wide range of incredible teams who are here to help.