Intersectionality
The term “intersectionality” refers to overlapping and interconnecting characteristics including:
- race and ethnicity
- age
- religion or belief
- gender identity
- sex
- pregnancy and maternity
- sexual orientation
- disability
- socioeconomic class
The lens of intersectionality aims to acknowledge and understand that all individuals have unique experiences that are influenced by their intersecting identities.
The disproportionate impact of homelessness
While homelessness can affect people from any background, we know that homelessness discriminates.
Data consistently show that across Great Britain, Black households are over-represented among those seeking support from their local authority due to homelessness, and among those trapped in temporary accommodation, including out-of-area placements (Homelessness Amongst BAME Communities in the UK, 2022; Out of Area Housing Policy Brief, 2023; Homelessness in Scotland, 2024; Statutory homelessness in England, 2024).
Statistics also show the disproportionate number of Black people and non-UK nationals rough sleeping in London, suggesting inequality in access to housing support.
Further research has shown that Black and Asian or Asian British/Welsh households are more affected by overcrowding in housing than white households (Homelessness Amongst BAME Communities in the UK, 2022).
Gender identity and sexuality are also linked to risk of homelessness and experiences of homelessness.
There is evidence that LGBT+ people are significantly over-represented among people experiencing homelessness, and often become homeless due to homophobia, biphobia and transphobia within their family homes (LGBT people’s experiences of homelessness, 2024).
People counted as sleeping rough are substantially more likely to identify as male (Rough sleeping snapshot in England, 2024); however, there is evidence that women are more likely to experience “hidden homelessness”, and tend to have different reasons for becoming homeless (“Hidden” homelessness in the UK, 2023; Women and Homelessness – St Mungo’s, 2023)
Understanding homelessness through intersectionality
Given that homelessness does not affect all people equally, it’s crucial to build understanding of why some people are more likely to experience homelessness than others, how reasons for and experiences of homelessness vary, and how services can be inclusive of people of all identities.
Without an understanding of this, we cannot end homelessness for everyone.