Happiness Matters: homeless people’s views about breaking the link between homelessness and mental ill health
St Mungo’s findings about the links between homelessness and mental ill health.
Category: Health
Health
People who are homeless often face multiple barriers to accessing health services and improving their health. Our research reveals that 4 in 10 people who sleep rough have a mental health problem. The average age of death for a homeless man is 47, and for a woman, just 43. Every day St Mungo’s works with hundreds of people who suffer with mental and physical health problems as a direct result of homelessness.
St Mungo’s Stop the Scandal campaign has been calling for investment in specialist homelessness mental health services, and the right support upon discharge so people don’t end up sleeping rough after leaving mental health hospitals.
On a local level, we have been working with Health and Wellbeing Boards to sign our Charter for Homeless Health, so that the physical and mental health needs of homeless people are adequately addressed in Joint Strategic Needs Assessments.
