Shocking statistics have been released showing there has been a 24 per cent increase in homeless people dying in the last five years. Almost 600 died in 2017 alone.
There were 482 deaths among homeless people in 2013, rising to 597 in 2017. Overall, an estimated 2,627 homeless people died during the five year period.
The data was collated by the ONS (Office for National Statistics) and covered England and Wales.
Eighty-four per cent of homeless deaths were men, and the mean age at death of homeless people was 44 years for men, 42 years for women and 44 years for all persons between 2013 and 2017.
The mean age at death was 76 years for men and 81 years for women for the wider population, across England and Wales.
Over half of all the deaths of homeless people in 2017 were due to drug poisoning, liver disease or suicide.
Ben Humberstone of the ONS said: “Every year hundreds of people die while homeless. These are some of the most vulnerable members of our society so it was vital that we produced estimates of sufficient quality to properly shine a light on this critical issue.”
Communities Secretary James Brokenshire said: “No one is meant to spend their lives on the streets, or without a home to call their own. Every death on our streets is too many and it is simply unacceptable to see lives cut short this way.”
https://www.thelondoneconomic.com/news/homeless-man-found-dying-close-to-mps-entrance-at-house-of-commons/20/12/