Pride and Places, a group of LGBTQ+ young people aged 16-25, worked in partnership with Rock Trust and LGBT Youth Scotland to produce a peer-led research report on housing rights. The report was funded through the Independent Human Rights Fund for Scotland.

The report examines awareness of LGBTQ+ young people’s housing rights in Scotland, what their experiences of housing and homelessness services have been, and what needs to change. It is based on a consultation survey completed by 100 LGBTQ+ young people across 69% of Scotland’s local authorities.

The research was designed, delivered and analysed by young people with lived experience. Its findings offer a direct and honest account of how the housing and homelessness system is working. And where it is failing.

What the report covers

The report explores LGBTQ+ young people’s knowledge of, and experiences within, Scotland’s housing and homelessness system, with a focus on:

• Awareness of housing rights, including rights at risk of homelessness, during a homeless application, and while living in temporary accommodation.
• Experiences of housing and homelessness services, including discrimination, misinformation and inadequate support.
• The role of independent advocacy in helping young people understand and access their rights.
• Barriers to accessing support, including poor promotion of services and a lack of understanding of LGBTQ+ young people’s specific needs.
• What young people want to change, from increased investment in housing to more transparent, accountable and person-centred services.

Why this matters for youth homelessness

LGBTQ+ young people are disproportionately affected by homelessness in Scotland. They are twice as likely to experience hidden homelessness as their non-LGBTQ+ peers, and one in three trans and non-binary young people have experienced homelessness. Many become homeless as a direct result of family rejection linked to their sexual orientation or gender identity.

This report makes clear that rights alone are not enough. Young people cannot benefit from protections they don’t know exist and this research found significant gaps in awareness of some of the most basic entitlements, including the right to contact an out-of-hours emergency service, the right to apply to any Scottish council, and the right to be moved from unsuitable accommodation within seven days.

When young people did receive independent support and advocacy, from organisations like LGBT Youth Scotland and Rock Trust, outcomes improved. When they didn’t, the consequences could be sever, such as ending up in unsafe accommodation, lack of quality information on rights, or being sent back to dangerous situations.

Rock Trust’s perspective

Rock Trust has been working alongside young people facing homelessness in Scotland for over 30 years. We know that identity, background and lived experience shape the risks young people face and the support they need to move forward. Young LGBTQ+ people are being pushed out of their homes because of who they are. When this happens, local authorities often aren’t equipped to provide adequate, tailored support, leaving them vulnerable and exposed. 

The experiences described in this report reflect what we see in our services: young people who are capable, resourceful and determined, but who are let down by a system that too often fails to meet them where they are.

That’s why we partnered with LGBT Youth Scotland on this research, and why we’re proud to support the work of Pride and Places. The findings strengthen our understanding of the barriers LGBTQ+ young people face, and reinforce what we continue to call for: early intervention, inclusive and trauma-informed services, and a system that treats every young person’s safety and wellbeing as non-negotiable.

We will use this evidence to inform our services and to advocate for the changes that are needed.