Youth homelessness charity Centrepoint has called on the government to rule out the use of bed and breakfast for homeless 16- and 17-year-olds, except in an emergency.
Under the 2002 Homelessness Act, councils must get all families with children out of bed and breakfast by March 2004 – except for emergency six-week stints.

There is no equivalent target for 16- and 17-year-olds, and Centrepoint says they are vulnerable to becoming victims or perpetrators of crime if left in B&Bs. It called for government funding to meet the proposed target.

Anthony Lawton, Centrepoint's chief executive, said: "There's a huge problem with 16- and 17-year-olds being housed in bed and breakfast, with either no or minimal support. It's not necessarily wrong as a short-term emergency response, but it must be with adequate support.

"Otherwise, the danger is that we impact on the situation of families in bed and breakfast but at the expense of 16- and 17-year-olds."

It’s not necessarily wrong as an emergency response, but it must be with adequate support

Anthony Lawton, Centrepoint

A spokesman for the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister responded: "Prioritising homeless families with children is an effective way to prevent the children becoming the young homeless of the future."

He added: "We will continue to review the impact of the legislation to ensure that local authorities provide appropriate and sustainable solutions to homelessness."

Source

Housing Today