The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed and exacerbated many of the challenges homeless young people face, from unemployment and difficulties accessing education, to challenges accessing secure and truly affordable accommodation.
Young people have been among the hardest hit by the economic impacts of the pandemic, with many job losses concentrated in the hospitality and retail sectors. Half of all eligible workers aged 16-24 were furloughed in the first three months of the pandemic, and youth unemployment has reached 13.6%, more than three times the figure for all ages.