Previous governments and third sector organisations have cited the lack of appropriate quantitative epidemiological evidence as a key barrier to effective policy design, and our study provides crucial evidence that could aid the design of much needed public health policy.
Dr Amal R. Khanolkar, first author of the paper
11 May 2026
Research reveals mental health inequalities among sexual minority groups experiencing homelessness
Research led by King's College London has found that sexual minority individuals (LGB+) who have experienced homelessness have worse mental health outcomes than their heterosexual peers.
Published in Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences, the study is the first quantitative analysis in the UK and wider Europe to examine differences in experiences of homelessness by sexual identity.
According to Stonewall, almost one in five LGBT people (18 per cent) have experienced homelessness at some point in their lives. Data also shows that 77% of LGBTQ+ young people identify ‘family rejection, abuse or being asked to leave home’ as a cause of their homelessness. Despite this, few studies have explored how experiences of homelessness and sexual identity intersect to impact mental health.
The new research used nationally representative data from 10,428 participants in the England-wide Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey to investigate inequalities in experiences of homelessness among adults, and the subsequent impact on mental health. This study focused on lesbian, gay and bisexual individuals and did not include trans participants.
The analysis included heterosexual individuals who did and did not have past experiences of homelessness, and sexual minority individuals who did and did not have past experiences of homelessness. Results showed that sexual minority individuals, particularly bisexual individuals, were significantly more likely to experience homelessness compared with their heterosexual peers.
The highest levels of common mental disorders (such as anxiety and depression), self-harm, and attempted suicide were observed among sexual minority individuals with a history of homelessness. These risks were higher than those seen among heterosexual individuals with past homelessness, with similar patterns also observed for alcohol and drug dependence.
The prevalence of common mental disorders ranged from 18.1% among heterosexual participants without experiences of homelessness to 49.2% among heterosexual participants with a history of homelessness. Rates were higher among sexual minority participants, increasing from 30.1% in those without experiences of homelessness to 72.4% in those with a history of homelessness.
The research builds on a previous study by the researchers, which explored past homelessness and its impact on mental health behaviours among sexual minority young people in the UK. Similarly, the study found that past experiences of homelessness were associated with poorer current mental health regardless of sexual orientation, but that sexual minority individuals in particular were more likely to have experienced homelessness.
A new factor considered in the current study was participants’ experiences of bullying and discrimination. Experiences of discrimination were reported by 41.4% of sexual minority participants with a history of homelessness, compared with 25.9% of heterosexual participants with a history of homelessness and 7.9% of heterosexual participants without experiences of homelessness. These findings suggest that bullying and discrimination may be a potential factor contributing to poorer mental health outcomes.
Dr Amal R. Khanolkar, first author of the paper, said: “This study emphasises that individuals with past experiences of homelessness report much worse subsequent mental health and health behaviours, and also experience higher levels of discrimination and bullying, compared to peers without homelessness. But these associations are more detrimental in sexual minority groups who experience discrimination associated with both past homelessness and minoritised identities. This is one of the mechanisms that perpetuate mental health inequities in sexual minority groups."
Previous studies investigating mental health inequities among sexual minority people with experiences of homelessness are scarce, particularly in the UK. By analysing nationally representative survey data, our findings show a substantially increased risk of a range of adverse mental health outcomes for this group, which is deeply concerning. Policies and interventions that tackle discrimination and bullying could offer promising avenues to address and prevent these inequities.
Dr Natasha Chilman, senior author of the paper
The study highlights that examining sexual identity and homelessness together reveals inequalities that may otherwise be overlooked if studied separately. The researchers also emphasise the need to develop policies, interventions and clinical services that provide tailored support for individuals with past experiences of homelessness to reduce and prevent inequalities.
Co-authors Natasha Chilman and Jayati Das-Munshi are funded by the UK Research and Innovation Population Mental Health Consortium (Grant no MR/Y030788/1), which is part of Population Health Improvement UK (PHI UK).
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Researcher in Epidemiology and Public Health
Teaching Fellow in Population Health Sciences