Deaths amongst the homeless – a METRO Report

A huge increase in drugs fatalities has led to the biggest rise in deaths of homeless people in England and Wales since records began.

Last year 726 homeless people died – a rise of 22% in a year, Office for National Statistics figures show. Two in five of the deaths were related to drug poisoning – 55% more than in 2017 and more than double the 16% figure for the population as a whole.

Howard Sinclair, head of homelessness charity St Mungo’s said:

Years of funding cuts have devastated crucial services supporting people who are homeless. The human cost is a national tragedy.

Shelter’s Polly Neate called for more social houses to be built, adding:

You can’t solve homelessness without homes.

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