By Burphy Momponga Zumu

At ClearView Research (ClearView), we believe in the power of research to illuminate societal challenges and drive positive change. As part of our commitment to creating a more inclusive and compassionate society, we embarked on a research project commissioned by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) to investigate hidden homelessness among women in the UK. Today, we are thrilled to share with you the insights and outcomes of this exceptional piece of work.

Hidden homelessness is a term that often eludes public attention, however, it generally refers to individuals who lack a stable and permanent home but are not visibly sleeping rough on the streets and are therefore likely to be missed from official statistics. The ONS was looking for an evidence-based and inclusive approach to capturing the scale of women experiencing ‘hidden’ homelessness in the UK, specifically unhoused or unsheltered women. In embarking on delivering this research project we have developed three reports. 

Our first report, titled " Research on Women Experiencing 'Hidden' Homelessness in the UK: Defining Hidden Homelessness ," provides a summary and critical analysis of considerations to defining the term ‘hidden homelessness’, for the purpose of developing a methodology for the ONS to capture the scale of women experiencing these forms of homelessness. Our second report, titled “ Summary of Qualitative Research Phase of the Research Project on Women Experiencing ‘Hidden’ Homelessness in the UK ,” summarises the findings from the qualitative research phase of the project; which involved women with lived experience, researchers who have previously completed research to understand women’s hidden homelessness, representatives of frontline organisations and people on the ground working with specific groups. In our final report titled, " Enumerating Hidden Homelessness for Women in the UK ," we present a detailed explanation of our recommended methodological approach. 

Throughout the research project, inclusivity has been at the heart of our efforts. We recognise that homelessness intersects with various aspects of an individual's identity, and these intersections can further exacerbate vulnerability. By embracing an inclusive approach and building a Co-Creation Group we aimed to shed light on the unique challenges faced by different groups of women experiencing hidden homelessness and how best they might be reached.

We are excited to share that all three reports are now available for the public below. We encourage you to read and engage with the findings, share them and even challenge us with questions! 

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the ONS for commissioning this research, to all the individuals who generously participated and shared valuable insights and without reservation to Power With who supported us in the delivery of this project. 

To request further information, please contact:

At the Office of National Statistics:

Sofia Stoyanova, Head of Inclusive Data Insights & Analysis,  sofiya.stoyanova@ons.gov.uk

At ClearView Research:

Burphy Momponga Zumu, Interim Director of Impact, burphy@clearviewresearch.co.uk