Mental Health and Homelessness: an inextricable link?

The links between poor mental health and housing instability are well established. Not only can the lack of a safe, secure and affordable home contribute to poor mental health, but struggling with poorer mental health can make it harder to deal with housing problems. So, for this mental health awareness week, we are highlighting that inextricable link and asking what can be done.

Recently elected Mayor Andy Burnham set out a vision for the city-region, holding Greater Manchester as a place where everyone has a good secure home, where everyone has a clear path in life, and a place where everyone has the ability to live well.  

Stable, safe and secure housing is fundamental to this vision.

A home is far more than a roof above your head. It is a place of sanctuary and security. Or, it should be.

But for too many people, home is neither safe nor secure. The threat of eviction, the failure to meet bill, rent or mortgage payments, or living in overcrowded, unsuitable conditions all take their toll.

Amongst renters, for example, the most common problems affecting their mental health include damp and mould, not being able to heat their homes, struggling to pay rent and fears of eviction (Shelter, 2021).

And, for people already struggling with their mental health, introducing precarity and instability in the home can exacerbate their experience.

Supporting people at risk of or experiencing homelessness and rough sleeping clearly has to be more than simply providing a shelter or a bed.

As the number of children in temporary accommodation hits record highs, work that can stop homelessness before it becomes a reality or ensure it is only ever rare, brief and non-recurrent could not be more urgent.

The organisations and initiatives we fund and support share our view. For example, A Bed Every Night – the pioneering scheme providing accommodation for people facing a night on the streets – is not just a bed, but the all important wrap-around support needed to help get people back on their feet.

They, and other organisations we support, ensure a holistic approach is taken when helping people experiencing homelessness, putting the person and their needs first. This is what everyone deserves.

Help us be the lifeline to those organisations on the front line. Support us in our mission to end homelessness today.