EXCLUSIVE: Ex-homeless man not surprised by scale of youth homelessness in Cambridgeshire
Nearly 20,000 young people were homeless or have sought housing advice from local councils in the last six years
A Cambridge man made homeless after a family breakdown has told us our research into youth homelessness doesn't come as a huge surprise.
We can reveal nearly 20,000 people aged 16 to 30-years-old in Cambridgeshire have either been homeless or asked for housing advice from local councils in the last six years.
In most of the 19,934 cases, many were without a home because relatives were no longer willing or able to accommodate them.
"It's a large number; having gone through that experience myself, I also see how other people have gone through it and you start to piece together why these things happen," Dylan said.
'I got tired of feeling like a burden'
Born in Zimbabwe, Dylan moved to the UK in 2006 and is part of a family of four.
At 22, he became homeless for the first time and started staying with friends after having to leave the family home, before moving onto a hostel.
"I didn't want to go to other people anymore; I got tired of feeling somewhat of a burden," Dylan said.
"That was a characteristic that had already played a lot within my life, but I just got tired of being at other people's mercy."
Since leaving home, Dylan has managed to rebuild a positive relationship with his mother, but despite this, has been unable to move back in with her.
And the fact that Dylan became homeless has left those who know him bewildered.
"Most people would see me as a good person and they would be confused as to why I was in the situation I was in," he said.
"I always struggle to really paint the picture because there is so much to the picture that is my life."
'I just had a bad set of cards'
After spending a year living rough, Dylan found help at charity Jimmy's Cambridge, which when full, houses around 47 residents in temporary accommodation before they're ready to move on.
Now 27, the youth centre volunteer also has a hand in producing music and is working on a project based on his own experience of homelessness, to help give others like him hope for the future.
But Dylan feels that experience will continue to live on.
"There's a lot around that feeling that is difficult to process from a psychological point of view, but my main intention was to try and get back on my feet, and I'm fortunate to be able to do so," he added.
"I think we all get dealt our cards in life, and I just had a bad set of cards."
Kerrie Portman has been homeless four times in her life so far - three since leaving care - and almost died.
In fact, she considered taking her own life at 10-years-old before professionals described her time in a children's home as child abuse.
"Especially as a woman, that (living rough) was a very damaging and frightening time; I experienced assault and nearly passed away several times while rough sleeping," Kerrie recalled.
"Even though that was quite a few years ago now, the trauma of that has never gone away and still affects me every day."
Kerrie, now in her twenties, was taken into care when she was around 15 and 16-years-old, and said she suffered "verbal and sexual abuse".
She found a flat after fleeing domestic abuse, but left after she felt her concerns were ignored by local authorities.
And after her own experience, it has left her thinking twice about people.
'People would treat me like dirt'
"I had absolutely no support and I was entirely on my own," Kerrie said.
"I would go weeks or months without any form of civil contact because people would be hostile to me and treat me like dirt because I was homeless.
"I've never been able to look at people in general the same way since, knowing most are capable of that."
Government figures this year show the number of young care leavers aged 18-20 who faced homelessness has increased by 37% in the last five years.
While 67% of young care leavers between these ages were already homeless by the time they received support from their local authority.
The Government says its national housing programme - backed by £25 million for this year - will give care leavers the help they need into adulthood.
It comes after a government-commissioned review into the early deaths of young people who left care has been published.
In that review, it found young people must be better prepared for adulthood, more help needed for people who reach 18 and how the skills of those helping care leavers can be improved.
'No safety net' for care leavers
Kerrie has made the Big Issue's top 100 changemakers - which recognises people who do good for their communities - and has campaigned to make care experience a protected characteristic.
She feels not having a strong relationship with loved ones could play a part in a rise in care leavers becoming homeless.
"Most of the time we don't have a safety net, we don't have family or not even friends a lot of the time; we're suddenly pushed out because we've reached an arbitrary age without any consideration as to whether we're emotionally ready or not," Kerrie added.
"Care experienced people are more likely to have significant trauma as well; it's not uncommon that these people are not taught about any life skills.
"I think it would take resources, but I think a lot of it is an attitude shift and truly understanding the situation."
Trend in youth homelessness
Between 2020 and last year, more people aged 16 to 30 were homeless or sought council advice in Peterborough than anywhere else in Cambridgeshire.
While Huntingdonshire helped the most young people into accommodation than elsewhere in the county.
Number of people homeless or asked for housing advice (2020-25)
- Peterborough City Council (PCC): 7,849
- Fenland District Council (FDC): 3,599
- Cambridge City Council (CCC): 3,266
- South Cambridgeshire District Council (SCDC): 2,805
- Huntingdonshire District Council (HDC): 2,133
- East Cambridgeshire District Council (ECDC): 282
Number of people helped into accommodation (2020-25)
- HDC: 1,779
- PCC: 1,640
- SCDC: 641
- FDC: 621
- CCC: 530
- ECDC: 181
Money spent on homelessness prevention measures (2020-25)
- HDC: £9,804,621
- SCDC: £6,362,035
- PCC: £2,183,241.50
- ECDC: £1,916,706.22
- CCC: £1,476,855.00
- FDC: £333,341
Pledge to end rough sleeping
Research by charity Centrepoint found the number of young people facing homelessness across the UK rose by almost 7,000 in a year, the third year in a row that this figure has risen.
Official homelessness figures show the number of households in temporary accommodation in rural areas hit an all-time high in March of 22,230, an increase of nearly 80% in the last six years.
While a record 23,186 children in county and rural areas were living in accommodation such as bed and breakfasts and hostels in March, a rise of 74% since March 2020.
Rough sleeping rates in rural areas have also hit record levels, with 1,821 people found sleeping rough in autumn 2025.
Since coming into office this summer, Prime Minister Andy Burnham has announced funding of £442 million for new accommodation and support in a bid to end rough sleeping across England this winter.
What are local councils doing to tackle youth homelessness?
A spokesperson for Peterborough City Council said a personalised housing plan (PHP) is tailored for a homeless person's needs - such as housing requirements - in order to find them suitable accommodation.
“The PHP addresses their housing need if they are homeless and/or may consider how they may maintain their current accommodation is this is a viable option," the spokesperson said.
"(This) includes actions that both the homeless person and the council consider reasonable to resolve their homelessness."
While a spokesperson for Cambridge City Council said it's working to secure alternative accommodation as well as financial help such as with deposits and rent for those without a place to live.
“We also liaise with families and arrange tenancy support to help young people stay safely where they are or avoid eviction," the spokesperson added.
"Our focus is early intervention, ensuring young people receive the right support at the right time so they do not become homeless.”