How homelessness sentences people to death 30 years early

He lost his business in the recession and looking for an escape from mounting financial problems, he began to drink. When his marriage broke down, Steve decided to walk away from his old life and feeling unworthy as a father he hasn’t seen his two children since.

The reasons as to why people find themselves homeless are complex, but according to new research carried out by academics at the University of Sheffield, the fate of those living on the streets is depressingly similar.

In her report, Homelessness Kills, Dr Bethan Thomas, of the university’s geography department, found that the average age of death in the homeless population is 47, some 30 years below the national average.

Funded by the charity Crisis, Dr Thomas also found that they are seven times more likely to die from alcohol-related diseases, more than three times more likely to commit suicide than the general population and twice as likely to suffer from fatal heart attacks.

The research is the first time anyone has attempted to analyse homeless mortality with the team looking at the causes behind the deaths of 1,700 people both sleeping rough and in hostels.

“It will probably come as no surprise that people who are homeless die prematurely, but the fact they die quite so young is truly shocking,” says Dr Thomas. “In recent years there has been increased government intervention and large amounts of money has been spent trying to solve the problem of homelessness.

“However, even when you take into account the fact that those living on the streets are the ones with the most serious mental health problems, the ones who have slipped through the net, the figures clearly show that more needs to be done.”

As economic uncertainty continues, latest evidence suggests the number of homeless people in Britain is once again on the rise and those who work on the frontline fear the problem could become even more entrenched.

The report contains a number of recommendations, from making it easier for those without a permanent address to register with a GP, to developing specialist services directly targeted at the needs of the homeless population.

“Coinciding with a reorganisation of the NHS that focuses attention on health inequalities, the publication of this report is certainly timely,” says Professor Aidan Halligan, chair of Pathway Homeless Health Service. “Too much discussion of the successes of health and social policy takes place in a vacuum, untainted by the realities of the real world.

“In terms of homelessness, there is little evidence the we are improving outcomes for the most vulnerable in society.

“It is worth reflecting that virtually everyday since 1948 the NHS has said to be in crises and that for the last 64 years, morale within it has invariably never been lower. And yet, it is the most trusted and cherished national institution in our society.

“Such knowledge matters because it can ward off false despair – there is something we can do.”

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