Health & Homelessness

Homelessness is a traumatic experience and places enormous pressure on both physical health and mental wellbeing. 

In particular, rough sleeping, especially over a long period, is highly detrimental to health. Many individuals with experience of long-term rough sleeping will have co-occurring conditions, specifically substance dependencies and physical and mental ill health, that can make leaving homelessness behind even more challenging. 

Despite having some of the most urgent health needs, people experiencing homelessness also face multiple barriers stopping them from accessing healthcare quickly, including stigma, accessibility issues, and lack of support.

That’s why our specialist teams place mental and physical health at the core of how we help people:

• Our health leads advocate for our clients and help them to navigate the complex health system,  
• Deliver regular in-reach clinics across services including GP, nursing and podiatry.  
• We partner with NHS and health services to improve access to diagnosis, treatment, and health outcomes. 
• Our staff supports all clients with their mental health, helping them build trust and connections, find better ways to cope with feelings and fears, and improve wellbeing.
  

 78% of homeless people report having a physical health condition (Homeless Link Health Need Audit, 2022)

Everyone deserves good access to healthcare and the space, time and help they need to process trauma to improve their quality of life for good