Dead by 47: homeless die 30 years earlier than average

Published by Max Salsbury for 24dash.com in Health and also in Communities, Housing

A shocking report has revealed that homeless people die 30 years before the national average, at just 47.

The findings by homeless charity Crisis were even bleaker for homeless women, with the average age of death between 2001-2009 just 43. The average age of death for women in the UK is 80.

The likelihood of early death for homeless people increases with age. Crisis found that those aged between 16-24 were twice as likely to die as those who aren't homeless, those aged 25-34 four to five times more likely, and those aged 35-44 five to six times.

The research comes at a time when cases of homelessness are on the rise.

A prime cause of death among the homeless is drug and alcohol abuse, which accounts for over a third of deaths. Compared with their housed contemporaries, homeless people have seven to nine times the chance of dying from alcohol-related diseases and 20 times the chance of dying from drugs.

The report found that homeless people have nearly seven times the chance of dying from HIV and hepatitis than the general population. It also found that homeless people are three and a half times more likely to commit suicide than those who are housed.

A spokesman for the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) said: "The findings in this report highlight the dangers of rough sleeping which is a serious issue that we are taking steps to address.

"We are committed to protecting the most vulnerable people in our society and have supported the Mayor of London's 'No Second Night Out' initiative to ensure that nobody spends a second night sleeping rough on London's streets, and are encouraging other councils to work towards this.

"The Government is also investing £400m in homelessness prevention over four years and last year provided an additional £70m to help prevent and tackle homelessness. We have also provided a £3.4m grant to be shared between Shelter and the Citizens' Advice Bureaux to run the National Homelessness Advice Service ensuring that professional support and training is available for the thousands of people who provide help and advice to the public on housing and homelessness."

The DCLG added that "homelessness remains lower than for 28 of the last 30 years, and is still under half the level it reached under the previous Government" and that "it is for councils, who know the needs of their residents best, to ensure those in need of accommodation are given the help they require". The DCLG also claimed that England has one of the strongest safety nets in the world to protect families and vulnerable households from losing their home.