LGBT Housing

If you are out to your parents and they are supportive and accept you being lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT), and you are happy at home, that is brilliant.

However, research suggest that about a quarter of homeless young people are LGBT.

Some LGBT young people are made homeless because their parents throw them out or make life unbearable at home because of their sexual orientation or gender identity so they are forced to leave.

Another reason why LGBT young people are often homeless is because they do not want to access homeless hostels or bed and breakfast accommodation as these can be unsafe places for LGBT young people.

If you are in a situation where your family is homophobic/transphobic and are likely to throw you out; or life is so unbearable at home because of their homophobia/transphobia, it is important you access support.

Living in an environment where your family constantly undermine you can have a devastating effect on your mental health.

It is important you get help. See if there is an LGBT youth group in your area and contact them for help - see Links. Failing that, contact one of the agencies in the links section below to see if they can help. The Albert Kennedy Trust covers London and Manchester and AKT Outpost Newcastle. Stonewall Housing Association and LGBT Jigsaw both cover London.

There is an excellent section about LGBT young people and homelessness on the The National Youth Homelessness Scheme website.

Here is a link to Rainbow Rising? LGBT Communities, Social Housing, Equality and Austerity,Kevin Gulliver and Dawn Prentice, 2014.

Other potential resources from America, particularly for housing workers, include " Best Practice Guidelines for Serving LGBT Youth in Out-of-Home Care, produced by the Child Welfare League of America.

The Family Acceptance Project in San Francisco is developing resources to support the families of LGBT young people.