Stop the Scandal
- by: St Mungo's
- recipient: Prime Minister Theresa May
4 in 10 people sleeping rough are struggling with a mental health problem, often with no support and no way home.
Like Claire [pictured above], who has been homeless on and off for 30 years.
'At thirteen I was diagnosed with BPD (Borderline Personality Disorder) by a child psychiatrist. Back then I was told there was nothing the professionals could do for me. I asked what it meant and was met with a stony wall of silence... My mental health really deteriorated after that and at the age of 25 I tried to drown myself in the sea. I did recover from this but then ended up in prison on and off until I was in my 40s. I am now 46 and finally have some peace of mind.'
With Theresa May just confirmed as the new Prime Minister, now is the time to let her know that the most vulnerable in our society should not be forgotten.
Sign our letter and call on Prime Minister Theresa May to Stop the Scandal of people with mental health problems left sleeping rough. We will deliver your signatures to 10 Downing Street.
Dear Prime Minister,
Will you stop the scandal of people with mental health problems left sleeping rough?
It’s not right that anyone should be without a home, and it’s nothing short of a national scandal that people with mental health problems are stuck sleeping rough.
We urge you to stop this scandal by leading a new, ambitious national rough sleeping strategy to deliver:
- mental health assessments and professional support to people on the street
- specialist supported housing to aid recovery
- the right support upon discharge so people don't end up sleeping rough after leaving mental health hospitals, and
- improvements to homelessness legislation to prevent more rough sleeping.
Government statistics continue to show an alarming rise in rough sleeping in England, and new research from homelessness charity St Mungo's reveals that 4 in 10 people who sleep rough have a mental health problem, rising to over half of rough sleepers from the UK.
The research also exposes how quickly someone’s mental health can deteriorate when they are sleeping on the street. What’s more, people with a mental health problem are around 50 per cent more likely to have spent over a year on the streets than others sleeping rough.
We believe this requires urgent attention from across government and the NHS. With the right support and routes off the street, people can look after their mental health and rebuild their lives.
Better still, the right mental health services can prevent people from sleeping rough in the first place. But right now, only 26 per cent of homelessness outreach workers say people sleeping rough are able to access the mental health services they need.
Rough sleeping is dangerous and ruins lives. People with mental health problems are particularly at risk. Please ensure that the most vulnerable in our society are not forgotten about.
Yours sincerely,
[Your name here]
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