Homelessness charity calls on next Welsh Government to act

Adam Johannes

Wales’ leading homelessness prevention charity, Llamau, has urged the next Welsh Government to take immediate action to end homelessness among young people and women.

The charity launched its new manifesto at Y Farchnad in the Senedd this week, outlining a blueprint for tackling homelessness.

Llamau is calling for early intervention, reliable funding for specialist services, and stronger protections for those most at risk, including women fleeing domestic abuse, neurodiverse young people, and LGBTQ+ youth.

Sam Austin, Chief Executive of Llamau, said: “Homelessness is preventable. With the right investment in prevention, Wales can end homelessness for young people and women. This manifesto sets out a clear, practical roadmap for the next Welsh Government to make that happen.”

In 2024-25, Llamau supported more than 12,000 young people, women, and children across Wales, combining frontline, trauma-informed support with policy work to tackle the structural causes of homelessness.

Manifesto

The manifesto warns: “Short-term funding cycles without annual uplifts undermine service stability and make it difficult to retain skilled staff, with services forced to either absorb the additional costs or scale back delivery, both of which compromise the quality of trauma-informed care.”

Stressing the importance of early intervention, it adds: “Prioritising early identification, intervention, and prevention is key to ending homelessness. It reduces pressure on public services, improves life chances for vulnerable young people and families, and builds stronger communities.”

“Embedding early intervention responsibilities within education settings enables timely support and coordinated action. Children and young people’s workers supporting those affected by domestic abuse are central to this effort”

The charity also highlights risks for neurodiverse and LGBTQ+ youth, sharing: “Many young people are unable to stay in mainstream education due to unmet needs, and face greater risks of exclusion, unemployment, and homelessness. This is especially true for neurodiverse young people, who are disproportionately represented in youth homelessness figures.”

“One in four young people experiencing homelessness identify as LGBTQ+, yet data collection is inconsistent. Dedicated LGBTQ+ housing services provide not only safe accommodation but also affirming environments where young people can access tailored support, rebuild trust, and begin to thrive – something general provision often cannot offer.”

Llamau is calling for long-term funding that keeps pace with inflation, with the Housing Support Grant protected and staff paid at least the Real Living Wage.

They also want more school-based support and proven early intervention programmes, such as Upstream Cymru, alongside funding for workers supporting children affected by domestic abuse.

The manifesto also pushes for tailored post-16 support for neurodiverse young people, including education and employability programmes, as well as mandatory collection of LGBTQ+ homelessness data and funding for specialist services like Tŷ Pride across all regions.