Caught in a catch 22: homeless under 25s

And now he is caught in a homelessness trap because of his age.

Jane Bullock investigates how men aged under 25 are falling through the net when it comes to getting access to accommodation.

Severe shortage of emergency accommodation

AS winter sets in only desperation could lead to someone spending a night outdoors, but in the past week at least 11 young men have had to live on the streets of Bolton because there is nowhere else for them to go.

The team at the Unemployed Advice Centre in Deansgate claim the number of people living on the streets will continue to increase because there is a severe shortage of emergency accommodation for single men under the age of 25.

Denise Lonsdale, who has worked at the centre for nine years, said she had sent 11 single men under the age of 25 back onto the streets in just a week despite making endless phonecalls to dozens of private landlords and housing associations.

She claims young men have even been known to throw bricks at shop windows in a bid to be arrested and spend the night in a police cell rather than on the streets.

Mrs Lonsdale said: "These young men are our future and I want something done to help them."

She fears the local authority does not recognise the number of people living rough in Bolton and intends to take a camera out into the streets to take pictures of them to prove their existence.

But John Lord, access and advice manager at Bolton Council's Homeless Welfare asserted: "Homeless men aged 18-25 are seen as a priority for us.

"There are a number of factors behind the problems for this age group including a changeover in benefit regulations.

"Some single men have been barred from existing housing provision because they have defaulted paying their rent or misbehaved in some way.

"We can never provide accommodation for everybody and it is possible that men are having to go back onto the streets.

"But we want to create a situation where there is suitable provision for the under-25s, so they never have to go back onto the streets."

The majority of private landlords will only accept the over-25s because housing benefit payments, which fluctuate throughout the year depending on the market value of property, are often higher for this age group.

Many homeless men are finding themselves in a "catch-22" situation as they cannot apply for benefits or a job without an address. But they cannot find somewhere permanent to live without references and a guaranteed income.

John Fowler turned to the Unemployed Advice Centre for help after finding himself homeless following a break-up with his partner with whom he had been sharing a flat in Bolton.

The 22-year-old, who was brought up in Birmingham, had been sleeping in alleyways in the town centre for three nights before a flat was found for him in Deane.

John has been unemployed for the past four months, but had previously worked full-time since leaving school aged 16.

He said: "This is the first time I've been unemployed and it's not a nice feeling.

"I don't like asking for help, but I had to swallow my pride and do something.

"I felt bad for the staff at the centre trying to help me because they phoned everywhere, and at the end of the day all they could do was make me a hot drink and send me back out on the streets."

The team at Homeless Welfare and Housing Advice in Silverwell Street work with the voluntary sector groups and develop a bi-annual initiative to deal with the problem of homelessness.

All the groups have agreed that short-term access to housing is a major priority and will now work on trying to find funding for a scheme to be set up in the coming year.

The Salvation Army hostel Gilead House in Duke Street provides 24-hour care for up to 67 single men in need of somewhere to stay, but there are only six beds available for the under-25s with a considerable waiting list.

Dave Bagley, who has worked with the homeless in Bolton for many years and co-ordinates the Winter Watch project as well as helping to run the 24-crisis shelter in Spa Road, agrees it is increasingly difficult for young men to find somewhere to live.

He said: "Without a shadow of a doubt there is an issue because of the single rent rates.

"Long-term action is not a problem, but it is just getting the men out of crisis initially.

"A housing scheme is needed in Bolton which is very temporary and crisis orientated."

Gerard Thomas, who is project manager at Step By Step in White Lane which helps substance users, said: "There is a problem with a number of people slipping through the net.

"If they come out of prison and have served less than 12 months then they don't get a probation officer and can get into real difficulties.

"We need low cost housing which is suitable for young people living on benefits."