No fixed abode

In law, no fixed abode or without fixed abode is not having a fixed geographical location as a residence, commonly referred to as no fixed address. This is applicable to several groups:

• People who have a home, but which is not always in the same place:
  • Those whose occupation requires them to live permanently on boats, ships or movable oil platforms, or to travel constantly (as showmen, for example).
  • Nomadic peoples (e.g. Indigenous Norwegian Travellers and Romanichal) and traveller groups (e.g. Irish Travellers, Scottish Gypsy and Traveller groups, New Age travellers, Norwegian and Swedish Travellers); as well as individuals who adopt a mobile lifestyle, living in narrowboats, recreational vehicles or the like.
  • People with multiple residences who frequently move around these addresses.
  • Persons who temporarily live with people such as friends and family.
• People considered to be homeless. The term "of no fixed abode" or "no fixed address" is frequently used as a description by the police and a euphemism by the media for somebody who is without a home.
• People may be homeless because of some natural disaster or conflict, which may have destroyed their home. Refugees fleeing a war zone are also regarded as homeless.

People living and working on a boat may be "of no fixed abode", but are not homeless.

A person with no fixed address may have mail addressed to a Poste restante service. Such persons may also have problems receiving government social services and registering to vote, and may be deprived of many common services.