Homelessness is on the rise in London with increasing numbers of people forced to spend a night on the streets.
Drugs and alcohol are often identified as key factors – but the link between sleeping rough and mental illness goes under the radar.
Areas with high numbers of rough sleepers are failing to provide the specialist mental health services they need, according to homelessness charity St Mungo’s.
BY: Mark Whitehead A survey of health and local authority commissioners in areas with ten or more rough sleepers on any one night found only a third were providing mental health assessment, support and treatment for adults sleeping rough. St Mungo’s have asked for an urgent meeting with health secretary Jeremy Hunt to discuss funding for […]
"As a first step towards this change, I'm announcing a new £40 million package to both prevent and tackle the causes of homelessness.
Theresa May has announced a £40 million package designed to prevent homelessness by intervening to help individuals and families before they end up on the streets. The Prime Minister said that the move was a first step in a policy shift moving the focus away from dealing with the consequences of homelessness and putting […]
In this special report Jennifer Williams catches a glimpse of the lives of those that sleep rough on Manchester's streets
BY JENNIFER WILLIAMS The figure in the Royal Exchange doorway is motionless. It’s 8.45am. Commuters are rushing through St Ann’s Square in the icy drizzle, heads bent over coffee cups as drama quietly plays out nearby. Kelly is vaguely known to the council’s homelessness team, but they don’t know her well. “I’ve not come […]
A very high proportion of rough sleepers who died in the capital last year had mental health problems
BY: Jon Stone @joncstone Charities are calling for improved mental health support for rough sleepers Getty The number of people with mental health problems sleeping on the street is rising, extensive new research by a homelessness charity suggests. St Mungo’s surveyed professionals working with homeless people across the country and found that 62 had seen […]
Tearful scenes as last winter residents leave former Manchester United player’s building facing uncertain future
It is estimated Neville spent up to £150,000 on keeping the project going during the winter months. Photograph: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images BY:Diane Taylor The former Manchester United star Gary Neville closed the doors of his hotel to homeless people, after allowing them to stay there rent-free with a package of support for more than […]
