Youth homelessness could reach five-year high this Christmas

More young people are worrying about finding shelter, research suggests

The number of young homeless people in England this Christmas could reach a five-year high, according to homelessness charity Centrepoint.

The charity, which works with under-25s, predicts over 29,000 18-24-year-olds face being homeless this year.

It blames the end of furlough, a drop in universal credit payments, and the cost of living going up.

Centrepoint is predicting the highest level this Christmas since 2016, when it started recording these figures.

Homelessness is something 23-year-old Mitak, who grew up in east London, has experienced himself.

He tells Radio 1 Newsbeat it's "heartbreaking to see the figures are so high".

• Number of rough sleepers 'fell by a third'

• 'I'd still be homeless if not for the pandemic'

• Universal credit £20 drop: 'I'm used to hunger pains'

The Centrepoint data (which comes from Freedom of Information requests made to local councils across the UK) shows 29,000 people will approach their local council this winter because they are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.

A survey of 2,000 people also suggests in the last 12 months, 35% of 18-34-year-olds have been worried about whether they will be able to keep a roof over their heads.

"Sadly, it's hardly surprising. The after-effects of the pandemic - particularly long-term unemployment and the universal credit cut - have hit the most vulnerable young people the hardest," says Balbir Chatrik, director of policy at Centrepoint.

'The lowest part of my life'

When Mitak was approaching his 17th birthday he had to leave the home where he was staying with relatives because it was no longer safe for him to stay.

"When I think back it's still kind of a blur, I just remember bits of it where I was just very vulnerable," Mitak says.

He spent a few nights sleeping rough.

"It made me realise that this is the lowest part where life could put me. I didn't have anything, I literally lost everything at that moment.

"Most nights I couldn't sleep and I was just sitting there by myself just trying to think and work things out and understand what was happening to me."

The increased cost of living has been blamed for a rise in homelessness

Earlier this year Centrepoint said more people had been calling its helpline - which it believe was mainly driven by the lasting effects of Covid-19 pandemic.

The new survey also suggests over 51% of young people have had money trouble in the last year with many worrying they may not be able to buy food.

Mitak says he was helped by the charity for around four years.

"They were always there to make sure I had a home and I was comfortable."

• Homeless teenager gets council policy overturned

• Boy, 8, gives birthday gifts to homeless sheltere

• Homeless shelter to open in university building

The Centrepoint stats come as the government releases figures on the number of homeless people who died in 2020 in England and Wales.

An estimated 688 homeless people died last year - an 11.6% drop from 778 estimated deaths in 2019.

It's the first decline in estimated deaths since 2014 - but the government says it's too early to comment on how Covid may have been an influence. In the ONS data, Covid was linked to 13 deaths (1.9%).

Most of those who died were men, and two in five deaths were related to drug poisoning.

Follow Newsbeat on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here.