Older People and Homelessness: A Growing Housing Crisis (19 January 2026)

Homelessness is still widely perceived as an issue affecting younger people or families with dependent children, but that assumption is increasingly out of step with reality. Increasingly, older people — often in their late fifties, sixties and seventies — are presenting as homeless.

Many have never previously had any involvement with the housing or benefits system.

Recent research suggests that homelessness among people aged 55 and over in England has risen significantly in recent years, with increases of more than 50% reported over the past five years. The number of people aged 55 and over living in temporary accommodation has grown markedly since 2022, according to research by the homeless charity Crisis. 

For older adults, homelessness is rarely the result of a single event. In practice, it is often the outcome of a gradual loss of housing security. Rising rents, the end of a long-standing private tenancy, or a landlord deciding to sell can leave an older renter with very limited options. Fixed incomes, health issues and reduced mobility make it particularly difficult to secure alternative accommodation in the private rented sector once a tenancy ends.

Homelessness in later life carries specific and serious risks. Many older applicants live with long-term health conditions or accessibility needs that are poorly suited to temporary accommodation. Even short periods of instability can have a significant impact on physical health, mental wellbeing and independence. Despite this, older people do not always feel that these factors are properly reflected in homelessness assessments. In practice, age-related vulnerability can be treated too narrowly, without sufficient regard to the cumulative impact of age, health and the stress of losing a home later in life.

There is also a broader structural issue. Social housing remains in short supply, and older people who have spent much of their lives renting privately may have little prospect of securing settled accommodation once homelessness occurs. 

Under Part VII of the Housing Act 1996, local authorities are required to assess homelessness applications and consider whether an applicant is vulnerable and in priority need. While age alone does not automatically establish priority need, it is often closely linked to declining health, reduced resilience and a diminished ability to cope with homelessness. These matters require careful and individual consideration.

In my view, older people are at real risk of being overlooked within the homelessness system. Too often, necessary support is only provided once an individual reaches crisis point. A careful and lawful approach to assessing vulnerability, one that properly reflects the realities of ageing, is essential if older applicants are to be protected from avoidable harm.

As housing pressures continue to rise, homelessness in later life can no longer be treated as a marginal issue. The growing number of older people affected should prompt serious reflection on official responses to those who lose their home at a stage of life when recovery is harder and the consequences more severe.

What to do if you are facing homelessness in your 50s or later

If you are homeless or at risk of homelessness in your 50s or beyond, it is important to seek advice as early as possible. Local authorities have specific legal duties to assess your situation, provide advice and, in some cases, secure accommodation — particularly where age, health conditions, disability or vulnerability are factors. You should contact your local council’s housing department as soon as you are threatened with homelessness, as delaying can limit the help available. Keeping records of your housing history, medical needs and any notices you have received can also be crucial.

If you are placed in temporary accommodation or refused housing assistance, you may have the right to request a review or challenge the decision. Many older people are wrongly assessed as not being in priority need, despite clear vulnerabilities linked to age or health. Independent legal advice can help ensure your circumstances are properly considered and that councils meet their legal obligations under homelessness and housing law.

How Duncan Lewis Solicitors can help

Duncan Lewis Solicitors is one of the UK’s leading housing and public law firms, with extensive experience supporting individuals facing homelessness and housing insecurity. Our specialist housing lawyers regularly advise older people on local authority duties, homelessness applications, reviews and appeals, and urgent accommodation challenges. Where eligible, legal aid may be available. We are committed to ensuring vulnerable individuals receive the protection and support the law provides.

About the Author

Amandeep Bains is a housing solicitor at Duncan Lewis. He acts for both landlords and tenants, privately and publicly funded, in a range of cases, including possession proceedings, homelessness cases, suitability reviews, housing litigation, eviction proceedings, disrepair claims, harassment issues, injunction proceedings, and judicial review applications.

Contact him for advice via email AmandeepB@duncanlewis.com or via telephone on 020 7275 2843.