ODPM

Homelessness amongst minority ethnic populations

• Summary report
• Full research report
• Guidance document

People from minority ethnic backgrounds are nearly three times more likely to become statutorily homeless than are white people. The ODPM commissioned ETHNOS to find out why, so that better prevention measures can be developed.

ETHNOS provided the ODPM with a thorough understanding of the causes of homelessness among minority ethnic communities. This was based on a comprehensive literature review of the causes of homelessness in the minority ethnic communities, and a major empirical research which involved 155 interviews with minority ethnic homeless households, local authority service providers, and voluntary and charitable organisations working with homeless households.

The communities covered by the research are black Caribbeans, Indians, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis, black Africans, Irish people and refugees. For each community, the research report highlights:

• the main causes of homelessness
• their knowledge of the statutory homelessness services
• their pathways through services
• their experiences of statutory homelessness services

The research report also describes in detail the working cultures of local authority services and their impact on provisions and services for ethnic minority households that are homeless or at risk of homelessness.

Good practice guidance derived from the research provides local authorities guidance on:

• designing a homelessness strategy that takes account of the needs of people from minority ethnic backgrounds
• making mainstream services more culturally sensitive
• developing specialist services for minority ethnic communities
• preventing homelessness amongst minority ethnic communities
• tackling racial harassment
• providing temporary and permanent accommodation for minority ethnic homeless people
• providing culturally-sensitive support to minority ethnic households