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Psychological distress, trauma histories and intra-family conflict are strongly implicated in the pathways towards homelessness. For many also, homelessness in itself may constitute a trauma – extending, deepening and complicating the person’s existing distress. In the context of policy prioritising housing-led service provision, this study examines homeless individual’s lived experiences of home across their lives. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 residents in a supported accommodation service for homeless individuals. Interview transcripts were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). (Inserted:) Three super-ordinate themes emerged relating to the experience of the first home as a ‘non-home’, the continuing repeating of the past in the present and the desire for and attempts to bring about a new start in their lives. These themes and the links between them are discussed with particular reference to object relations and attachment theory and the concept of cumulative trauma. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]