What about all the women?

On International Women's Day this year, we consider the often hidden story of women experiencing homelessness

Working for a homelessness charity, you become distinctly aware that many people think homelessness is only that which we can see. People use the terms ‘rough sleeping’ and ‘homelessness’ interchangeably, often without considering or even knowing that you can be homeless yet still have access to shelter. It’s no surprise then that women are often left out of the story. 85% of those rough sleeping are men (DLUHC, 2021), but rough sleeping is just the tip of the iceberg.

Government figures (DLUHC, 2022) show women are disproportionately represented in temporary accommodation, a form of hidden homelessness. While you are more likely to find lone women in temporary accommodation than lone men, 35% of people in temporary accommodation in England are single women with children. The situation in Greater Manchester is even worse, where women make up 57% of those in temporary accommodation: 2,206 women at the most recent count.

Greater Manchester’s reliance on temporary accommodation is a huge challenge and it is women who are bearing the brunt of unsuitable, unsustainable accommodation and, in many cases, with children to support too. Beyond those currently housed in temporary accommodation, we don’t know how many may also find themselves sofa-surfing.

Not only does the experience or type of homelessness vary between women and men, the drivers of homelessness also vary. A Shelter (2021) study found that domestic abuse was the third most common cause of homelessness for women. For this reason, the provision of safe spaces for women fleeing domestic abuse is an essential part of the solution to homelessness. The study also found that women are more likely to claim housing benefit making them increasingly vulnerable to rising rent and the cost of living. Women also were found to face poorer treatment by professionals when they do seek support. Clearly there are structural issues that women face causing either heightened risk or prolonged homelessness because of their experiences as a woman.

The picture becomes more complex when we consider the experiences of transwomen. For example, international literature highlights the potential conflicts that can emerge in the home, school and workplace as a result of a person’s developing trans identity and the interaction with pathways into homelessness (McCann and Brown, 2021). Indeed, rates of homelessness are far higher amongst trans people than in the general population with a shocking 1 in 4 having experienced homelessness (Stonewall, 2018).

The unique circumstances of all women experiencing homelessness, means that to understand and find solutions, we need to hear from and act with women that have experienced homelessness. Only then can we all ensure homelessness is rare, brief and none-recurrent in the long-term.

Donate today and know that your money will help tackle homelessness across our city-region for a fairer and more sustainable future.