Housing insecurity and hidden homelessness: research

Appendix B

Stories of participants’ lived experience

This appendix summarises the findings from interviews with three participants to help convey the lived experience of hidden homelessness.

The stories of these three participants were chosen to illustrate some of the key themes that emerged from the research. These include:

• the fluidity of visible and hidden homelessness
• experiences of domestic abuse
• support received in accessing local authority homelessness services
• perceptions of self and local authority homelessness services

These detailed, pseudonymised accounts provide a deeper understanding of the lived experiences of hidden homelessness. They illustrate some, but not all, of the different experiences of hidden homelessness.

Alia’s story

Alia is a woman with three children and is from a minority ethnic community. She experienced domestic abuse and hidden homelessness.

Alia sought support from a third sector organisation providing domestic abuse support at this time. She did not want to approach the local authority homelessness service due to negative word-of-mouth information about the local authority. Alia was worried about being placed in an unfamiliar area and away from her community.

Instead of approaching local authority homelessness services, Alia fled to her friend's three-bedroom house. Her friend lived there with her husband and their three children. After some time, Alia realised that the overcrowded situation was not suitable or sustainable.

Alia was signposted to the third sector organisation through her social network who advised Alia to seek stable accommodation through the local authority homelessness process. With their support, Alia accessed local authority homelessness services and secured temporary accommodation.

Stevie’s story

Stevie is a man currently living in a hostel after periods of visible and hidden homelessness.

Stevie has been affected by substance use. He sought support for this through rehabilitation. Stevie described that he had to give up his social housing tenancy to enter rehabilitation. He left rehabilitation suddenly and then had nowhere to stay. He is originally from the West of Scotland but had moved to Edinburgh at this time.

Stevie stayed in different places. He regularly went to his daughter’s home to change and eat. He slept in a graveyard out of public view but he often felt unsafe there. Stevie then slept rough on a main high street. He chose a particular spot that was well-lit on a busy street as he felt this was safer.

Although Stevie had navigated the homelessness system previously, he had heard that he needed to be homeless for six months locally to get assistance because of previous legislation and needing to have a local connection. This belief stopped him from approaching local authority homelessness services.

Stevie then attended a GP appointment for a chest infection. They spoke about different aspects of his health and substance use. The doctor referred him to local authority homelessness services. As a result, Stevie received temporary accommodation and commissioned wrap-around support for his substance use.

Melissa’s story

Melissa is a white woman who is care experienced.^[18] She has experienced hidden homelessness by sofa surfing with friends and family when aged 17 to 21.

Melissa had a chaotic childhood and described experiences of trauma, violence, mental health problems and substance use in her immediate family. When Melissa was a teenager, her relationship with her family broke down, and she had nowhere to stay.

Instead of approaching local authority homelessness services, Melissa relied on her networks and links with her wider family and friends for places to stay. Melissa was a high-achieving student and felt this meant that everyone expected her to have all aspects of her life in order. She focused on ‘putting on a mask’ for her friends and downplayed the instability in her housing situation.

Melissa did not engage with any third sector or homelessness services. She once almost sought support from a university hardship fund. However, she felt too proud to ask them for help. Melissa felt that she had come so far on her own after a challenging childhood that she did not want to be seen to be needing help from anyone. This included homelessness services and wider support services. Melissa ended up securing a stable income and saved her wages. She used this to put down a deposit for a privately rented flat share.