LGBT Youth Scotland: Pride and Places research report

Date: 10th July 2026
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A new report by LGBT Youth Scotland and Rock Trust explores LGBTQ+ young people’s understanding of their housing rights and lived experiences of homelessness.

Through a peer consultation co-created with young people, this collaborative project responds to an uptick in the number of LGBTQ+ young people experiencing homelessness in Scotland, owing to their families failing to accept their gender identity and/or sexual orientation.

Findings showed that while participants were generally aware of the right to make a homeless application, they did not know about the rights to apply as homeless to any Scottish local authority, to contact a local authority in an emergency out of hours, or to move out of unsuitable temporary accommodation within 7 days. They were also often given incorrect and/or insufficient information about their rights by council officers and other housing professionals, making it difficult for them to challenge unlawful conduct.

Participants also pointed out the need for more effective, accessible information-sharing surrounding the services available to them and lamented council officers’ lack of understanding surrounding the experiences of LGBTQ+ young people, which they perceived as conducive to discrimination, distrust, and situations where young people may be forced to return to unsafe situations.

LGBT Youth Scotland calls on Scottish Government to combat the housing crisis by increasing funding for supported accommodation for homeless young people and providing more affordable housing options. It recommends more funding for advocacy services to ensure that LGBTQ+ young people can challenge rights breaches, and for Scottish Government to create a national toolkit to educate and inform young people of their housing rights. It also encourages local authorities to take a person-centred, trauma-informed approach to supporting LGBTQ+ young people, build staff members’ awareness of the needs of these individuals, and provide accurate, up-to-date information on housing rights in a variety of accessible formats.

Access the full Pride and Places report