A typology of multiple exclusion homelessness

 Quantitative  exploration  of  sub-groups  of  people  experiencing  homelessness  facing  similar  challenges,  or  multiple  exclusion  homelessness  (MEH),  is  limited  in  Great  Britain—as  is  discussion  of  what  these  groupings  mean  for  policy  and  practice.  Through  secondary  analysis  of  survey  data  from  a  study  of  single  people  experiencing  homelessness  in  England,  Scotland,  and  Wales,  this  paper  aims  to  advance  understanding  of  MEH.  Using  Latent  Class  Analysis,  we  explore  several  possible  typologies  of  MEH  before  outlining  a  preferred  typology  composed  of  four  groups:  those  facing  high  exclusion;  those  faced  with  low  levels  of  exclusion;  and  two  intermediate  groups,  one  marked  by  trauma  and  mental  ill-health,  the  other  by  offending  and  substance  dependencies.  When  compared  to  international  studies  on  MEH,  findings  point  toward  possible  common  combinations  of  exclusion  amongst  peo-ple  experiencing  homelessness  drawn  from  different  populations.  The  emergent  policy  and  practice  implications  of  this  analysis  demonstrate  the  value  of  scrutinising  homelessness  policy  and  practice  internationally  through  a  lens  of  MEH