70% say we don't pay enough attention to homelessness

Four out of five people across the UK believe homelessness is a serious problem and there is a strong sense that as a society we pay too little attention to it, an opinion poll has found.

The poll, conducted by Ipsos for the Centre for Homelessness Impact, asked 2,142 adults across the UK their views on homelessness. Fieldwork was conducted in November 2024. 

Public concern about homelessness

• The public think homelessness is a serious problem for the UK (83% agree v 14% who say homelessness is not a serious problem)

• There is little variation in sentiment between different nations within the UK and the measure has been flat over time but there have been statistically significant shifts in opinion about the problem in Scotland since a similar poll in 2022 - 89% (+7points) v 9% - and Wales - 83% (+5 points) v 14% - between 2022 and 2024 
• There is a strong sense that 'As a society, we do not pay enough attention to homelessness' – 70% agree and only 9% disagree

• 62% believe that homelessness will increase in the UK in the next 12 months

‍Views on homelessness

• Barely a quarter of people think homelessness can be ended and twice as many think homelessness is inevitable. Asked if they agreed that homelessness will always happen and it is not possible to prevent it, only to manage it, 44% agree and only 27% disagree
• But people reject the view that homelessness is a lifestyle choice. Asked if they agree that ‘people who are homeless often choose to live like that’ only 22% agree and a majority, 54%, disagree
• There is strong public support for evidence-based policy making on homelessness. Asked if decisions about homelessness should be made based on evidence of what works or on what people think is the right thing to do, 61% say decisions should be based on evidence and only 12% say based on instinct of what seems right 

This is the fourth poll on public perceptions of homelessness that Ipsos has carried out for the Centre for Homelessness Impact since 2020.

Ligia Teixeira, Chief Executive of the Centre for Homelessness Impact, said: 

‘These survey results highlight the pressing need for bold, preventative action to address homelessness. With over half the public supporting investment in prevention and 75% calling for affordable housing and stronger government guarantees, the message is unmistakable: prevention and structural solutions must take centre stage if we’re to break the cycle of homelessness for good.

‘While the numbers reveal the scale of the challenge, they also reflect a shared belief in the power of prevention and systemic change. This is a call to action for all of us- government, communities, and individuals - to work together to ensure everyone has access to a safe, stable home.’

Ben Marshall, Research Director at Ipsos, said:

‘According to our latest survey for the Centre for Homelessness Impact, public opinion has changed little throughout a period in which we have seen a Coronavirus pandemic, a cost-of-living crisis, record rises in rents, and increases in homelessness.

‘Most people continue to consider homelessness to be a serious problem nationally - more so than in their local area and despite being unaware of the scale of ‘hidden homelessness’.  They are sympathetic to those experiencing it, recognise its structural causes, and think it should be given more attention.

 ‘This year’s survey finds that while people tend to lack confidence in the prospects for improvement, they are positive about the potential impact of a range of actions including preventative measures. Their positivity about action on homelessness will likely be bolstered by use of evidence of what works plus the lived experience of people experiencing homelessness as well as an appreciation of the costs involved.’

Public understanding of homelessness

The poll shows that public awareness of the nature and scale of homelessness is mixed.

• People are aware that more households than ever before are living in temporary accommodation (organised by councils) as they would otherwise be at risk of experiencing homelessness. Asked if this is true or false, 73% say it is true compared with 20% who think it false
• However, twice as many people think rough sleeping is far more prevalent than ‘hidden homelessness’, which is wrong. Asked if it is true or false that there are more people experiencing street homelessness than 'hidden homelessness' such as sleeping on a friend or relative’s sofa, 54% think this is the case while only 24% are aware the opposite is true

Public support is relatively lower for investing more money to prevent people from entering homelessness, rather than in services for people once they experience homelessness: 56% of people agree with this approach, with 9% who do not (the lower public support for this approach is likely to reflect the fact that much work to prevent homelessness is not visible and there is less awareness of what it involves)

• In contrast 84% think an effective way to address homelessness is to improve refuges and safe houses for people escaping domestic abuse, and 82% think giving more help to people who have nowhere to live when they leave hospital, prison or the care system would be effective
• A similar proportion (82%) think providing emergency shelters and hostels for people experiencing homelessness makes a positive  difference, and 81% say more support and training for people experiencing homelessness to find a job and stay employed
• There is, however, higher public confidence in the positive impact possible through identifying people who might be at risk of homelessness earlier such as when they are using public services such as health and education, which 79% say would make a difference.

Three-quarters of people think that:

• ‘Homelessness would be less of an issue if housing was more affordable’ (75%)
• ‘Governments should guarantee that everyone has the right to access decent and affordable housing’ (75%)
• ‘Poverty is at the root of many of the problems that can lead to homelessness’ (75%)

For more information, contact: media@homelessnessimpact.org 

Technical note

The survey by Ipsos for the Centre for Homelessness Impact involved a representative sample of 2,142 UK adults aged 16-75. It was conducted online between 22-25 November 2024. It used ‘booster’ sampling to increase the number of surveys completed in Wales (to a total of 519), Scotland (511) and Northern Ireland (216) to improve our ability to make comparisons. Data was weighted to the known population profile at the UK level.