At risk of homelessness

by lindabriheimcrookall — last modified 2006-11-14 02:42 PM

Any of us could become homeless, but you are more likely to become homeless if you:

Around 8% of all households accepted as homeless are considered to be in priority need on grounds of mental illness. (2)
30-50% of rough sleepers have mental health needs. (3)
A 2002 study found that 70 per cent of rough sleepers misuse drugs and half are dependent on alcohol. (4)

6 per cent of rough sleepers contacted in London have been in the armed forces. (5)

42 per cent of rough sleepers contacted in London have been in prison. (6)
Re-offending rates are affected by housing. Home Office research suggests that stable accommodation can reduce reconviction rates by over 20%. (7)

According to the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) ethnic minority households are around three times more likely to become statutorily homeless than the majority white population. Black African and black Carribean groups are especially vulnerable to homelessness, being twice as likely to be accepted as homeless as people of Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi origin. (8)
DCLG research into overcrowding also shows that BME groups are significantly more likely to live in overcrowded conditions, especially in London. For whites the national rate of overcrowding is 1.8 per cent, but for BME groups it is 11 per cent. In London the rate for whites rises to 4 per cent, and for BME groups to 13 per cent. (9)

Homeless Link research found that 15 per cent of people accessing London's day centres, night shelters and outreach teams in March 2006 were A8 nationals. (10)
Research by Broadway found that in a one night count of London hostels 19 per cent of bed spaces were occupied by refugees and asylum seekers (vast majority were refugees). (11)

On top of ‘personal’ factors there are ‘structural’ factors, wider problems in society, that increase the risk of homelessness:

Homeless Link