Report by Caritas Salford shows major impact of homelessness on mental and physical health

Source: Caritas Salford

Caritas Salford is calling for urgent action to be taken after it released new statistics that show more than three quarters of people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless in their locality have mental health problems.

78 per cent of those surveyed identified as having mental health issues, compared with 12.7 per cent of the general population. 88 per cent of those audited also said that they wanted help with either accessing services or to improve their health and wellbeing, highlighting the significant inequalities that exist for those who are homeless.

The data was gathered from a health audit survey of people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness who attended four services in Greater Manchester in February and/or March 2024 and is being published in advance of World Homeless Day on 10 October.

The feedback from those who answered the survey also highlighted that 73 per cent identified as having at least one physical health condition, compared with 50 per cent of the general population.

Amanda Croome, head of homelessness for Caritas Salford, said: "There's a staggering disparity between the health and wellbeing of people experiencing homelessness or at risk of becoming homeless and the wider general public. While in some ways this might be expected, the huge difference in these figures shows a real issue that needs addressing urgently before it's too late for many of the people affected. The difference in the statistics when compared with the general population is completely unacceptable.

"42 per cent of people we spoke to had attended A&E in the past twelve months and many reported having real trouble accessing services to help with their mental and physical health.

"These aren't just numbers, they are real people and the impact of the link between homelessness and health inequalities is incredibly stark reading. Anyone can become homeless at any time - we hear so many stories of people who have lost the roof over their head because of accidents, bereavements, job losses or no-fault evictions and the numbers are continuing to grow.

"Government statistics show that the mean age of death for men who are homeless is 45 years and for women 43 years. It's not acceptable and is totally preventable with the right measures and support systems in place. But, these measures and support systems need addressing urgently. It won't wait."

Caritas Salford is a charity which supports people from across Greater Manchester and Lancashire via grassroots anti-poverty services, aimed at helping people experiencing poverty, homelessness and disadvantage to transform their lives.

The charity set up a homeless health hub project in February 2024, funded by NHS Charities Together, which has helped address health inequalities and improve the health and wellbeing of people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness in Manchester, Bury and Salford. The project works in partnership with a range of NHS and voluntary sector partners to deliver the work of the health hubs.

One person accessing the health hubs said: "I haven't known where to start to be honest. Since being homeless my depression has definitely got worse. It's good to know that there is a drop-in here as I will come next week for some support."

Another said: "I really would welcome some support from mental health services. I can feel my mental health getting worse since being on the streets and I am trying to stay abstinent so want to keep this up as I have made a business plan to get me back in work."

One person who has been to the drop in at Caritas Cornerstone day centre and has been linked in with a specialist worker, added: "If I didn't come to Cornerstone I would probably never have gone on a script…I was rough sleeping so it was difficult to keep hold of my phone and keep appointments. I really am in a better place now and also in accommodation."

Other mental health related findings from the survey run by Caritas Salford at its Cornerstone day centre in Manchester, Red Door day centre in Bury, Morning Star supported accommodation in Manchester and at the Loaves and Fishes day centre in Salford, include:

- 69 per cent said they had a mental health diagnosis but only 19.2 percent said they had a mental health worker
- 34 per cent said they had felt suicidal or had self-harmed in the last twelve months
- 34 per cent said they wanted more help with their mental health than they are currently getting

Caritas homeless health hubs in Manchester, Bury and Salford have been supporting people to get additional help needed since their launch early in 2024. Amanda Croome explained: "People experiencing homelessness deserve the same access to health and wellbeing support as all of us and the drop-in hubs we have been running since February have really helped to reach out to many who wouldn't otherwise have received that assistance.

"They are holistic, one stop shops in many respects - from optician, nurses, GP appointments and dentists to broader health and wellbeing activities such as gardening, walking, games and social activities. If you are experiencing homelessness and poverty, it can be hard to find accessible health care so these hubs are vital to ensure people don't fall through the net.

"While these hubs will continue, we also want to see urgent action from others in our area, including key decision makers at a local, regional and national level.

"For example, more research is needed to identify the true extent of the problem and the effectiveness of health initiatives aimed at addressing these inequalities.

"It's also vital that service commissioners do more to address the specific health needs of people who are homeless, given these stark differences and poor outcomes. This needs to be considered at the design stage of the provisions available, including effective training and development is in place for those supporting people who are homeless too.

"Drop-ins like our health hubs are really important and have shown that outcomes do significantly improve with this type of specialist support. Where these improvements happen, it also helps people in their journey off the streets and into their own tenancies too, as often barriers from health and wellbeing issues can exacerbate already complex situations.

"These measures, alongside targeted health promotion, specialist workers and improved funding for health, wellbeing and volunteering activities are key in ensuring tangible change."

Caritas Salford's work supporting people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness includes Caritas Cornerstone day centre in Manchester, Caritas Red Door day centre in Bury, and supported accommodation projects in Manchester for single homeless men and in Blackburn for young families.

Read the full report here: www.caritassalford.org.uk/healthreport

People who are experiencing homelessness or are at risk of becoming homeless and would like support for their mental or physical health and wellbeing can attend a free drop in event on 9 October. For more details, visit: www.caritassalford.org.uk/event/health-fair/