This overview report aims to assess the current position regarding research and information on homelessness in Britain; to draw out key themes that emerged from the review; to identify gaps in knowledge; and to highlight inconsistencies and contradictions in the existing research evidence. It thus attempts to present the main ‘story’ to emerge from the review rather than to find a ‘place’ for all of the research reviewed. Central emphasis is placed on single homelessness, although material on family homelessness is sometimes drawn upon to demonstrate the broader context. We concentrate on homelessness studies rather than housing research in general, although some housing studies are drawn upon, together with other broader contextual material, particularly in Chapter 5. The social exclusion strategies currently being developed across Britain attempt to address the needs of both the people and the places most likely to be affected by homelessness. However, only brief reference can be made to such wider agendas in the course of this report. A key theme in this overview is trends in single homelessness research. The topics covered by homelessness studies have shifted over time, sometimes in response to changes in government funding or in the composition of the homeless population, and sometimes as a result of the way thinking has evolved among homelessness researchers and practitioners. Another theme that runs throughout this report is the spatial patterning of single homelessness in Britain, and how this is reflected in the geographical coverage of research. There are important differences in the legal, political and policy frameworks relevant to homelessness between England, Scotland and Wales, and we attempt to highlight these wherever particularly relevant. While the bulk of the material reviewed was English, there is also a significant research literature on homelessness in Scotland. We identified far less research and other information on homelessness in Wales.