A new pilot study led by researchers from King's College London, the Lambeth Services Users Council and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine reveals that people experiencing homelessness in South London face stigma and discrimination across multiple public and support systems.
Researchers surveyed 74 adults experiencing homelessness across South London to understand their experiences of stigma and discrimination. The study, published in BMJOpen, found that unfair treatment was reported across health, housing, legal, and public services, highlighting the need for system-wide approaches to reduce stigma and improve access to support. People with more health conditions reported more frequent unfair treatment across multiple systems.
Homelessness is a growing challenge in London and the UK. A 2024 report by Shelter found that one in 47 people in London were experiencing homelessness. While research has shown that experiences of stigma among people experiencing homelessness are linked to poor health through their impact on mental health and well-being, and barriers to accessing healthcare, these experiences have not been quantified.
To address this research gap, the team implemented a cross-sectional survey across services supporting people experiencing homelessness in Southwark, Lambeth, and Lewisham, including two hostels, three day centres, and a drug and alcohol service. The survey asked questions about experiences of unfair treatment across different settings, and the number and type of health issues experienced.
Out of 74 adults who were surveyed, 85% of participants reported unfair treatment in public settings (including in shops and on public transport), 72% in legal settings (such as with the police or in court), 68% in housing and homelessness services and 65% in health settings (including with the GP and in hospital). People with three or more health issues reported the highest frequency of unfair treatment, with 37 out of the 47 participants that had three or more health issues reporting unfair treatment across 4-8 settings or services.
The findings suggest that stigma and discrimination are widespread, affecting people not just in one area of life but across multiple care and support systems. While the sample was small and limited to South London, the findings provide insights into the environments where stigma is most common.
You might expect experiences of stigma in certain settings, but it's less clear why people experience it across so many different parts of society - especially in services where they would expect to receive help, like housing and homelessness services. Our study shows a serious and systemic picture of stigma and discrimination for people who are homeless in South London.
Dr Andy Guise, Senior Lecturer in Social Science and Health at King's and lead author of the study
The research forms part of a wider project led by Dr Guise, supported by the UK Research and Innovation Future Leaders Fellowship scheme, which aims to understand and address stigma, one of the root causes of homelessness and inequality.
The study is important as we need to understand the extent of the stigma experienced by people who are homeless. The results are a clear indication of how stigma is experienced across a range of services that people have to navigate.
Jude Adams, co-author of the paper from Lambeth Services Users Council
The researchers note that the sample size did not allow detailed analysis by gender, race, or specific experiences of homelessness. Future, larger-scale surveys will be needed to measure the extent of stigma and discrimination nationally and explore how these experiences intersect with different identities.
Read the paper here: Experiences of stigma and discrimination among people experiencing homelessness: a cross-sectional pilot survey in South London, UK | BMJ Open
