Issues arising from the implementation of the Young Homeless Allowance

 

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Content type
Research report
Published

December 1987

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Overview

In July 1986 the Commonwealth Government introduced the Young Homeless Allowance (YHA) as part of a number of changes to youth income support programs. Some 18 months after the introduction of the Allowance this paper aims to give an overview of YHA and how it relates to the needs of homeless young people. Section 1 briefly outlines the background to the Allowance, the criteria for eligibility, and the available statistics on those who receive it. Section 2 draws on case study material collected by the National Youth Housing Coalition. Section 3 presents a discussion of the literature concerning the reasons why young people leave home; and Section 4 introduces some of the complex questions surrounding youth, adulthood and responsibility which relate to youth income support, as well as looking at short and long term policy issues concerning YHA.