Centrepoint says the fiscal measures announced last week will mean nothing to the most vulnerable who are already struggling to make ends meet.

Earlier this year, the charity found that over a quarter of vulnerable young people, being supported by homelessness charities, are living off less than £5 a week after their rent and bills have been paid and Centrepoint’s further research found that half of 16-25 year olds in London have gone to bed hungry.

Centrepoint is concerned the lack of action will mean more vulnerable young people will be left going hungry and facing homelessness.

Earlier this year, Centrepoint found that:

Half of 16-25 year olds in London (49%) have gone to bed hungry in the last twelve months.
Over a third of young people in London (35%) have gone a whole day without food.
Over a third of young people in London (34%) went without food to feed someone else, eg. a child.

Alicia Walker, Centrepoint’s Head of Policy, Research and Campaigns, said: “Young people facing unemployment, homelessness, and the soaring cost of essentials have waited months for an emergency budget that addressed their urgent needs.

“Instead, today we’ve had an announcement of tax cuts and deregulation that will mean nothing to the most vulnerable and seems to make the chances of funding and initiatives where they are really needed more remote.”

“We are on the brink of a crisis on the same scale of the pandemic, when the government announced eviction bans, increased Universal Credit and an initiative to end street homelessness. Today the Chancellor missed his opportunity to respond in a similar way. Our worry is his lack of action abandons the country’s most vulnerable young people who are left going hungry and facing homelessness.”

Earlier this year, Centrepoint commissioned Opinium to carry out a UK national poll to determine the level of food insecurity among the general population of 16 to 25 year olds. The sample of young people in London consisted of 376 respondents. Across the country, 2000 young people took part in the survey which was completed between March and April 2022.