Housing Issues Constantly Increasing for Under 25s

by Former Member

Monday 14th March 2016

Young people in the UK are in danger of being locked out of the housing market according to data from youth charity, The Mix, resulting in a massive increase in users contacting their services.

The Mix (formerly YouthNet/Get Connected) has seen a rise in use, over the past 12 months, from a generation of vulnerably housed young people who are seeking support due to the effect that living independently has on their mental wellbeing.

To support the ever rising number of young people struggling to live independently, The Mix, have introduced Home Truths – a free one stop shop tool aimed at helping young people to cope with the pitfalls, from budgeting to all their legal rights.

The warning signs:

• Young people are finding it increasingly harder to find a place of their own. With the current Work and Welfare Reform Bill passing through parliament promising changes to housing benefit and rising rental prices, they may find it even harder to move out.
• The Mix has seen over 200,000 young people seeking crisis support with housing issues over the past year, a 23% increase from the year before.
• The Mix’s telephone helpline service has received 3,422 crisis calls with housing issues over the past year, with 469 of those contacting made homeless after being thrown out by parents.
  22 year-old, Jenny, is a property guardian for Dot Dot Dot, she comments “The housing situation for young people is dire. In my old job, I was paying out over half my wages each month just on rent, but when I applied for housing benefit I was told I didn’t qualify.

The most worrying thing for me is the potential removal of housing benefit for 18-21 year olds. It’s the assumption that all 18-21 year olds have a supportive family or friends that they can live with.”

Phil Miles, Director of Regeneration and Communities at Affinity Sutton, states “A third of our lettings last year were to 18-25 year olds.  We recognise that many are struggling to live independently for the first time and so we have a wide-ranging youth support service which offers guidance.

Charities such as The Mix are on hand to give invaluable support to help young tenants manage. Home Truths will quickly and easily deliver this advice to young tenants and could help them avoid getting into serious difficulties.”

CEO of The Mix, Chris Martin, says: “Living independently is increasingly becoming a prominent issue for under 25s. Home Truths aims to make sure that under 25s are able to progress that transition of moving out as seamlessly as possible – offering tips on money management and all the details of moving out to ensure they’re able to live frugally.”

Ends/

Media Enquiries:

For further information about YouthNet & Get Connected please contact: [email protected], 02070092500 or @YouthNetUK / @GetConnectedUK

Notes to editors: 

• With the support of Experian (a global information service company) and Affinity Sutton (national housing association), Home Truths (www.TheMixUK.org/HomeTruths), which launches today, was co-created with a group of young people, with the aim to support more young people in their journey to independent living.

About the Charity and Services

The Mix (formerly YouthNet and Get Connected) offers multi-issue support to young people under 25. Reaching 1.7 million young people per year, we provide non-judgmental, informal support for any issue a young people olds, under the age of 25, may come up against.

Our new charity aims to reach 2 million young people by 2018; reaching 1 in 4 of the UK’s population of 16-25 year olds.

Young people’s lives can be a challenging mix of highs and lows. Their issues are emotional and intertwined and there is seldom a simple answer when they have a problem.

A ‘one size fits all’ solution isn’t going to cut it. Today’s young people are more complex and con-nected than any generation before them.  They need a blended service delivered on their own terms and through the technology of their choice – that’s where The Mix comes in.

The Mix is a free, confidential support service offering help through phone, text, web, social and counselling. The Mix connects young people to experts and their peers talking about everything from money to exam stress, from self-harm to depression, from break-ups to drugs.

Whatever issue a young person is facing, The Mix is always there for them, providing help, information and support – 24/7 and 365 days a year.

Experian are the leading global information services company, providing data and analytical tools to our clients around the world. They help businesses to manage credit risk, prevent fraud, target marketing offers and automate decision making. They also help people to check their credit report and credit score, and protect against identity theft. In 2015, they were named by Forbes magazine as one of the ‘World’s Most Innovative Companies’.

With 58,000 homes and a one hundred year history, Affinity Sutton is one of the biggest providers of affordable housing in England. As a business for social purpose we’re committed to helping people put down roots.

Dot Dot Dot offers landlords a secure, flexible and cost-effective way to protect empty properties, by placing people who are committed to voluntary work in these buildings on a temporary basis as property guardians.

The Mix’s phone line is no longer available, but you can email us or chat one-to-one online 4pm-11pm Monday to Friday, speak to our online community, sign up for free counselling online or text text THEMIX to 85258 to access our 24/7 crisis line.