Abstract
Rise in Rough Sleeping for the Second Year Running in England
Official figures showed that, in spite of the government’s 2019 pledge to end rough sleeping, an estimated 3898 people were sleeping on the street or in tents, an increase across all regions of England.
One of the crucial contributors to this increase was the eviction of refugees from Home Office hotels with just a week’s notice, many of whom did not have any accommodation secured once evicted. This is one facet of a more wide-ranging housing crisis across the country, which saw upwards of 100,000 households in emergency housing between June and September last year, hitting record levels.
The highest saturation of these figures were seen in London, where the estimated number of rough sleepers increased by 32% on the year prior, while in some areas such as Kingston upon Hull and Ealing, these figures more than doubled year-on-year. Homelessness charities have stated that these estimates likely underplay the full scale of this issue, as certain groups are not counted including those in temporary shelters and sofa surfing.
Matt Downie, the chief executive of the charity Crisis, said: ‘The scale of rough sleeping is now a source of national shame. It is a sign of extreme inequality and must prompt a rethink at the highest levels of government’.
For more information, please visit: Rise in rough sleeping in England ‘source of national shame’, charity says. The Guardian, 29 February 2024. Available online at: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/feb/29/number-of-people-sleeping-rough-in-england-rises-for-second-year-running (last accessed 18 March 2024).
A Mentally Healthier Nation
This year, over 60 of the UK’s largest organisations have joined forces to promote three key policies derived from the Manifesto for a Mentally Healthier Nation. They are asking political parties to agree to a 10-year, cross-government plan that addresses the nation’s mental health and to commit to the below manifestoes ahead of this year’s general election:
Prevention: By addressing the social determinants of poor mental health, such as environmental factors, poverty and discrimination, we can work to have a mentally healthier nation. Crucially, this includes working to give children the best possible start and investing in providing a more effective public health infrastructure.
Equality: Inequities and disadvantages in society mean that there are mental health risks that are more prevalent in some groups, such as racialised communities. In addition, the social security and justice systems often mistreat those struggling with their mental health. The manifesto calls for action to help prevent these inequalities.
Support: This policy aims to make mental health services more accessible and more efficient, particularly for children and young people. By promoting this, widening access and using the resources we have, mental health outcomes will improve.
The manifesto asks for these actions to be a top government priority, as if we do not act the current mental health crisis will worsen and will have huge repercussions for health services, the economy and society. The Centre for Mental Health is asking for political parties to create change by including these policies in their election manifestoes.
For more information, please visit: Manifesto for a mentally healthier nation. Centre for Mental Health, 27 February 2024. Available online at: https://www.centreformentalhealth.org.uk/publications/manifesto-for-a-mentally-healthier-nation/ (last accessed 15 March 2024).