Developing an understanding of how houseless people experience housing and home

Abstract

Section A
The number of houseless people in the UK is rising, causing increasing levels of concern in the services that support them. In efforts to better understand their needs, researchers have explored the meaning of “home” for houseless people through qualitative studies. This systematic review aimed to reflexively analyse the research on the meaning of home for people who are often described as “homeless”. It was hoped that synthesising the current research will strengthen the validity of findings, therefore improving the evidence base for services and policy makers who serve this population. Twenty studies were found and their quality assessed. This meta-synthesis revealed four interacting meta-themes: Home in space; Home as people; Home in the self; Home in time. The first three meta-themes align with themes found in reviews on the meaning of home for housed populations. The fourth meta-theme is a new finding. While themes were consistent across different types of houselessness, participants varied considerably in terms of exactly what conditions enabled these components of home to be realised for them. Findings can be used to inform how services help houseless people to create a sense of home, both in (temporary) housing and on the streets.

Section B
With homelessness continuing to rise in England, the government has committed additional funding to try and reduce it. While efforts to support unsheltered people are limited by insufficient housing stock, some street homeless people are also declining the housing that is offered to them. There is disagreement about whether some people are intentionally homeless or whether services are failing to house them appropriately. This study aimed to understand why some street homeless people decline offers of housing, from their own perspectives. It appears to be the first study of its kind. The research questions were: 1) How do people living on the streets experience street homelessness? 2) How do people living on the streets make sense of their experience of declining housing, or accepting housing temporarily? Interviews from six participants were analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Participants experienced both homelessness and housing offers as dehumanising, isolating and dangerous, and as a threat to their identity. They declined housing in pursuit of autonomy, competence, relatedness, self-worth and physical safety. Findings are discussed in the context of legislation, policy and self-determination theory. It is suggested that clinical psychologists could usefully bring self-determination theory into Psychologically Informed Environments initiatives to improve service provision.

Date of Award	2025
Original language	English