Public perceptions of homelessness

Ipsos was commissioned by the Centre for Homelessness Impact to undertake research into public understanding and attitudes towards homelessness, while also investigating perceptions of the role of evidence in addressing the issue.

The Centre also wanted to explore perceptions of the causes and prevalence of homelessness, and whether these perceptions had changed from previous years of the study in 2020 and 2021.

The survey involved a representative sample of 2,152 UK adults aged 16-75 sourced from Ipsos’s online panel. Booster sampling increased the number of surveys completed in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland in order to improve our ability to make comparisons. Data was weighted to the known population profile at the UK level.

The survey’s key findings, described in detail in our report for the Centre, include:

• Homelessness is perceived as a serious problem in the UK, and three-quarters believe that it will increase in the next 12 months in the country they live in.
• There are important misperceptions and knowledge gaps – e.g. people expect 51% of those currently experiencing homelessness to be living with alcohol or drug dependency when figures are considerably lower even for those who are experiencing street homelessness, the most visible type of homelessness.
• People are supportive of a range of policies designed to address homelessness, particularly those involving provision of affordable housing or paid jobs or training
• Renters and those with mortgages are worried about their ability to pay for housing at the moment, and more worried for the future…
• … contributing to negative effects on their mental health.

Ipsos’s report concluded that public opinion had remained stable and supportive of measures designed to address homelessness.

The study also highlighted increased concern about respondents’ own housing situation - among respondents who paid rent or mortgage, 46% were concerned about their ability to pay their rent or mortgage in 12 months’ time.

It remains to be seen what the impact of rising housing costs will be, and whether the impact on anxiety and stress - 46% said their mental health was being affected by concerns about the cost of their housing, up from 36% before the pandemic – will get better or worse.

• Tables are available on request.