Suffering of homeless revealed as third admit to suicide attempt

The report concludes that staff from housing support agencies can feel “out of their depth” because they are having to “fill the gap left by the retreat of social workers from direct work with adults”.

Four out of five adults who have slept rough in Britain have a history of anxiety or depression and many also had a history of being neglected or abused as a child.

Housing Minister Grant Shapps said: “This report makes clear the many reasons behind people leading chaotic lives and ending up on Britain’s streets. It also chimes with the results of my own research in this area. That’s why one of our first tasks in Government was to set up a cross-Whitehall group of eight ministers from eight different departments, dedicated to tackling the complex and far-reaching causes of homelessness.

“We’ve also maintained £400m homelessness grant funding.

Mr Shapps added: “I would urge the wide range of organisations that are dedicated to helping the homeless to examine these findings carefully and see how their services meet the many needs that these most vulnerable people often have.”

The report calls for measures to provide homeless people with the support and services they need including greater co-ordination between health, housing and social care.

Jenny Edwards, chief executive of the national charity Homeless Link, said: “This research reveals the deep roots of homelessness.

“It shows that traumatic experiences in childhood and problems in later life can lie at the heart of why someone ends up on our streets.

“This should act as a wake-up call to services. We must not miss the opportunities that could prevent homelessness. This makes sense for both individuals and society.”

Julia Unwin, chief executive of the Yorkshire-based Joseph Rowntree Foundation charity which seeks to understand the root causes of social problems, said: “The lives of homeless people are often incredibly complex, so it is vital that the services they need reflect this.

“If we’re serious about preventing and tackling homelessness we need to target prevention and tackle the worrying level of distress faced by the homeless population.

“We need more flexible, personal services which reflect the complexity of individuals’ lives so the Government can achieve the vital ambition of ending rough sleeping.”

The report, entitled Understanding Complex Lives, was based on a survey of 1,286 homeless adults in Britain alongside 452 interviews conducted as follow-ups.