Almost 1 in 3 Britons in employment fear losing their job in next 12 months

13 November 2008

A recent survey conducted by Ipsos MORI for St Mungo's, London's largest charity for homeless people, has found that 29% of people in full or part-time employment in Britain say they are very concerned or fairly concerned about being made redundant or becoming unemployed in the next 12 months.

A recent survey conducted by Ipsos MORI for St Mungo's, London's largest charity for homeless people, has found that 29% of people in full or part-time employment in Britain1 say they are very concerned or fairly concerned about being made redundant or becoming unemployed in the next 12 months.

St Mungo's, the charity that runs over 100 projects and services that house and support homeless people's recovery, is warning that the loss of a job is often the beginning of a dangerous spiral that can result in a person becoming homeless.

This year, prior to the Ipsos MORI survey 'Rough Sleeping in a Recession', St Mungo's conducted a poll of 98 homeless men and women2 living in their hostels who had been in previous employment. Of those polled, 70% said that losing their job had contributed either directly or indirectly to them becoming homeless.

The imminent Government release of its Rough Sleeping Strategy has led St Mungo's, London's largest charity for homeless people, to call for a reinvigorated government commitment to reducing homelessness beginning with providing work and learning provision that develops skills, as well as attributes such as confidence and aspirations.

Charles Fraser, CEO of St Mungo's said:

"St Mungo's is calling on the government to reverse the scandal of an unemployment rate which runs at 96%3 amongst the homeless men and women we house. Twenty five years ago unemployment was at 14% amongst homeless people. Homeless men and women must have the right to work and learning provision that develops skills, as well as attributes such as confidence and aspirations

"Over two thirds of our clients polled4 stated that job loss contributed to them becoming homeless. It is worrying to see in this latest Ipsos MORI survey that almost 1 in 3 people currently in full or part-time employment are worried about losing their jobs over the next 12 months. We believe those who do suffer should have immediate access to training opportunities in order to get back into sustainable employment and therefore remain housed".

One year ago, Warren's life was very different. Picked up by St Mungo's street rescue team when sleeping on the streets of south London; Warren had an alcohol dependency, which had led to him losing his job as a floor layer several years earlier.

"I lost my job, I lost my money and I lost my self respect."

In the five or six years since Warren had lost his job, he had been unable to keep up a relationship or hold down a job. He sofa surfed at various friend places for years and his alcoholism spiralled out of control.

"It got to the stage that I was alcohol dependent. I needed alcohol everyday just to function. The customers didn't like me drinking on the job and stinking of alcohol- understandably."

At St Mungo's Warren was first housed at a wet hostal, where he began to address his addiction

"I started to clean myself up a bit after being out on the streets. The staff at St Mungo's could see I was improving so they decided to get me out of there"

As Warren was in a stronger state of mind and managing his alcohol dependency successfully, he was moved on to a dry hostel. It was at this point that he was encouraged to make plans for the future and to think about getting back into employment.

"I found it quiet there at first, after all the mad carry on at the wet hostal but it has done me the world of good being here... Anything St Mungo's offer I try to get involved in, I take anything offer to keep myself busy and there is a lot on offer."

Warren has now been working on a Bricks and Mortar training course for five months, where he has been taught practical bricklaying and plastering skills. He is looking forward to gaining his NVQ diploma and going to college to complete and advanced plastering course. He has also visited St Mungo's training centre and completed computer training.

"It is the structure, going to Bricks and Mortar. Getting up in the morning, getting up for work. I enjoy it so much. I am so thankful. I don't like Saturdays and Sundays now.

"Without St Mungo's I don't know where I would have ended up, I was in a pretty bad way. I am looking at getting my own flat but I almost don't want to go. This place has become like a home."

ENDS

NOTES TO EDITOR

1This question is based on those in full or part-time employment, excluding those who are self-employed. Full results of the survey can be found at http://www.ipsos-mori,com/

2 Just the Job Survey

3 Residents/Clients Needs Survey

4 Just the Job Survey

  • St Mungo's are London's largest charity for homeless people. We open our doors to homeless and vulnerable people, enabling their recovery, and work to prevent rough sleeping in the first place. We run over 100 projects and help 1000s of people make life changes every year.
  • The "Just the Job" research was conducted across twelve of St Mungo's hostels specifically to gather information from residents who have lost their jobs. Locum project workers regularly employed at the Hostel were used for the fieldwork and undertook informal interviews with 98 of our residents. The questionnaire was designed to establish the timelines around the individual losing their job and becoming homeless, as well as establishing whether the loss of employment was in some way a contributory factor in their homelessness, or in many cases, starting to sleep rough.
  • The residents' needs survey was carried out in July/August 2008. It is a snapshot survey of the needs of all St Mungo's clients who were resident on that day. The survey was completed by the keyworker from the records held for each resident and represents the largest annual survey around the needs of rough sleepers and single homelessness people. The results from this survey provides St Mungo's with critical information that contributes directly to its management and strategic planning, helping to improve the services to our existing and future residents.

'ROUGH SLEEPING IN A RECESSION' RESEARCH

The research was conducted by Ipsos MORI between 31 October and 6 November 2008 on behalf of St. Mungo's. A nationally representative quota sample of 2,014 adults aged 15 and over were interviewed face-to-face and in-home throughout Great Britain. Data have been weighted to the known population profile of Great Britain.

Full results to the survey are available at http://www.ipsos-mori.com

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