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CHAPTER FOUR: 'MYTHS' ABOUT HOMELESSNESS

Introduction and background

4.1 Another key aim of the Awareness Raising and Best Practice subgroup is to disseminate accurate information on the reality of being homeless and to dispel myths about homelessness. On their website, the Scottish Government list several 'myths' about homelessness. The first of these is that 'Homeless people sleep in the street'. In fact, as they state, 'Only a tiny proportion of homeless people are on the street. Most stay on friends' floors or with family, sometimes in precarious arrangements that can go wrong'. In addition to such 'factual' myths about homelessness, the Scottish Government also wishes to challenge beliefs that could be described as 'moral myths' about people experiencing homelessness. These might include the belief that homeless people are anti-social or otherwise undesirable and should not have any rights to social housing, or the belief that all or most people experience homelessness as a result of problems with drink or hard drugs.

4.2 Attitudes towards people made homeless as a result of anti-social behaviour are discussed in Chapters Five and Six. In this Chapter, we consider the extent to which the public subscribes to other 'factual' and 'moral myths' about homelessness. We asked people how strongly they agreed or disagreed with the following:

• Most homeless people sleep rough outside at some point
• Most people end up being homeless simply because they drink too much
• Most homeless people use hard drugs

4.3 These questions were included in the self-completion section of the 2006 Scottish Social Attitudes survey.

Key question

• To what extent does the general public believe in various 'factual' and 'moral myths' about homelessness?
• Are some groups more or less likely to believe these myths than others?

Belief in 'myths'

4.4 The misconception that most homeless people have slept rough outside at some point appears to be very widespread. The most recent figures indicate that the numbers of homeless people who sleep rough is actually relatively small. In 2005-2006, just 1 in 10 of applicants to Local Authorities under the Homeless Persons Legislation said they had slept rough in the three months prior to applying for assistance ²¹. Around 6 in 10 (61%) agree that this is the case, while around 3 in 10 appear to be unsure, saying either that they 'neither agree nor disagree' or that they cannot choose (Figure 4.1).

Figure 4.1 'Most homeless people sleep rough outside at some point'

Base: 1,437 (all respondents who completed the self-completion questionnaire)

4.5 Beliefs about the two 'moral myths' are more divided. Although half disagree that 'most people end up being homeless simply because they drink too much' and that 'most homeless people use hard drugs', around 1 in 5 agree with each of these statements (Figure 4.2).

Figure 4.2 Beliefs about homeless people and drink and drugs

Base: 1,437 (all respondents who completed the self-completion questionnaire)

Who is most likely to believe most homeless people sleep rough at some point?

4.6 In contrast with general attitudes towards homeless people, the belief that 'most homeless people sleep rough outside sometimes' does not vary by either sex or education (Table 4.1). Women are no more likely than men to believe this, and those with no qualifications are no more likely than those qualified to higher education level to believe it. Beliefs do vary by age however - 18-24 year-olds are most likely to agree that most homeless people sleep rough sometimes (77%, falling to 55% of those aged 65 or older). However, it is not the case that older people are clear that most homeless people do not sleep rough. Rather, they are more likely to express uncertainty, saying they neither agree nor disagree with this statement.

4.7 Those who say they come across people they believe to be homeless 'most days' are more likely than those who say they see them less often to agree that most homeless people sleep outside at some point. This possibly reflects the fact that rough sleepers are one of the more 'visibly homeless' groups they come across.

Table 4.1 'Most homeless people sleep rough outside at some point' BY key demographic and other factors²²

Who is most likely to associate homelessness with drink and drug problems?

4.8 The groups most likely to agree both that 'most people end up being homeless simply because they drink too much' (Table 4.2) and that 'most homeless people use hard drugs' (Table 4.3) are very similar to the groups most likely to hold more critical or 'unsympathetic' attitudes towards the behaviour and motives of homeless people, as described in Chapter Three. These include:

• Men - for example, 24% of men compared with 18% of women agree that 'most people end up being homeless simply because they drink too much'
• The youngest and the oldest age groups - as with the belief that 'most homeless people could find somewhere to live if they really tried', those aged 18-24 and those aged 65 or older are more likely than 'middle-aged' respondents to associate homelessness with drink and drug problems.
• Those with no qualifications - for example, 31% of those with no qualifications agree that 'most homeless people use hard drugs', compared with just 8% of those qualified to higher education level.
• Those on lower incomes - 36% of those with household incomes of less than £12,000 a year compared with 10% of those on incomes of £44,000 or more agree that most homeless people have become so because of a drink problem.
• Those who are more authoritarian in their general beliefs - 26% of 'authoritarian' respondents agree that 'most homeless people use hard drugs', compared with just 8% of more libertarian respondents.

4.9 Agreement with these statements also varied by how often people come across people they believe to be homeless. However, the pattern is not linear - for example, 25% of those who say they see homeless people most days think 'most homeless people use hard drugs', as do 23% of those who say they never see homeless people. This suggests that beliefs about the association between homelessness and drink and drugs may have different sources. On the one hand, people who say they come across homeless people regularly may believe that most homeless are like some of the more 'visible' groups they come across (for example, street drinkers). Of course, 'street homelessness' is only a small part of the problem of homelessness. Moreover, 'street drinkers' and other visible groups are not necessarily composed solely or mainly of homeless people. On the other hand, among people who say they never see homeless people, such beliefs may stem from a complete lack of exposure to or awareness of homelessness as an issue.

Table 4.2 'Most people end up being homeless simply because they drink too much' BY key demographic and other factors

Table 4.3 'Most homeless people use hard drugs' BY key demographic and other factors

Key points

• There is a widespread misconception that most homeless people sleep rough at some point - 61% agree that this is the case.
• The belief that most homeless people sleep rough does not vary particularly between different socio-demographic groups. However, those who say they come across 'homeless people' most days are more likely than those who come across 'homeless people' less often to believe this.
• Around 1 in 5 appear to believe that homeless is closely associated with drink or drug problems - 21% agree that 'most people end up being homeless simply because they drink too much' and 18% agree that 'most homeless people use hard drugs'. However, half disagree with each of these statements.
• The groups most likely to agree with these statements - men, the youngest and oldest age groups, people with no qualifications, those on low incomes and the more authoritarian - reflect the groups most likely to hold more critical or 'unsympathetic' attitudes towards the behaviour and motives of homeless people in general.

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