Homelessness and well-being: the role of support services

Purpose This article aims to investigate the psychosocial links between homelessness and service provision and one’s well-being. Design/methodology/approach This article uses nonlinear panel data regression methods, paired with the landmark Journeys Home survey, to reveal what homelessness and emergency relief mean for one’s well-being (life satisfaction). Findings This article reports evidence that homelessness is associated with lower levels of well-being. Further, both homelessness and emergency relief are independently associated with lower levels of well-being. The association between emergency relief and well-being is moderated by being (literally) homelessness. That is, the negative association between emergency relief and life satisfaction is more pronounced (more negative) among the homeless. Finally, experiencing difficulties with welfare services is almost as strongly negative as is being (literally) homeless. Research limitations/implications The results likely underestimate or provide a lower bound for the negative association between homelessness and well-being, because of non-random attrition from the nationwide panel survey. Practical implications The findings draw attention to the plight of people in receipt of emergency relief, especially those who are literally homeless. Structural upstream policy changes are needed, including but not limited to a decent universal basic standard of living for all. To this end, substantial government intervention would likely make public welfare administration less bothersome, make emergency relief largely redundant and would circumvent the unintended consequences of emergency relief. Originality/value This is one of the few studies to integrate the capabilities approach to well-being and the socio-ecological model. This is the first article to use the support service variables in the Journeys Home survey. This is one of the few studies to examine the case for Australia. This is the first article to examine the relationship between support services (emergency relief) and well-being specifically.