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Home is where the heart heals

Examining the challenges of mental health and homelessness helps us address two related crises that affect some of the most vulnerable members of society. Though both are significant issues on their own, taken together, they create a vicious cycle: mental illness can lead to unstable housing; and homelessness can aggravate mental health. Solutions to break this cycle need our combined attention and effort.

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Connections between mental health and homelessness

It’s no secret that mental illness is a significant issue that impacts homeless people. Research shows that over 45% of homeless people in the UK have a confirmed mental health issue; many more go undiagnosed. Common disorders, including depression, PTSD, schizophrenia, and anxiety, are often exacerbated by the difficult conditions of living without a secure home. Why is this so? Living with mental illness can make it very difficult to keep a career, build close relationships, or navigate the complicated rules of housing systems.

In the case of Hotak v London Borough of Southwark [2015] UKSC 30, the Supreme Court clarified how councils should determine if a person with a mental illness qualifies as being in "priority need" for housing according to the Housing Act 1996.  The Court decided that people with mental illness should be considered in priority need if their condition makes them significantly more vulnerable than a typical person who becomes homeless.  This represented a change from evaluating applicants against other homeless individuals—recognizing that this approach could unjustly downplay the challenges encountered by those with mental health issues.  Even with this clarification, many people dealing with mental illness still face challenges when trying to find appropriate housing. This indicates that the legal standards may not be mirrored in the decisions made by local authorities.

Recently, the House of Commons’ Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee urged the government to clarify its plans for tackling rough sleeping, emphasising the importance of a coordinated strategy that encompasses both housing solutions and mental health services. This shows that there is still worry that, without a clearer plan and execution, the current legal protections are not being turned into substantive assistance in reality.

Systemic barriers keeping people in crisis

So why isn’t the cycle being broken? The answer lies in systemic barriers.

  • Those with mental health problems may come across prejudice while looking for housing. Although the Equality Act 2010 offers some protection, some landlords still choose not to rent to those with mental illnesses, as they see this as high-risk.
  • A common problem is that many people are unable to buy homes in the UK. As of January 2025, the average house price in the UK is £299,138. The cost of renting has gone up as well, as by early 2025, the average monthly rent in the UK is around £1,276, and it's even more expensive in London and other big cities. The rise in prices is making it harder for many citizens to own or rent their own homes, leading to a greater reliance on council housing.
  • One major issue in breaking the cycle is the non-coordinated nature of care. Housing and mental health services often operate separately, leading to individuals falling through the gaps.

Social justice: a call to action

Social justice is at the core of this issue. Every person should be able to live a life full of consistency and necessary care. We must fundamentally change our systems and commit to justice for everyone to achieve this target.

The UK Government's Rough Sleeping Strategy 2022 set some ambitious goals to completely end rough sleeping by 2024. The goal was to make housing more accessible, improve funding for mental health support, and strengthen partnerships with local authorities.  However, these goals are still not achieved.  In June 2024, there were 8,309 people reported to be sleeping rough in the UK, which is a 15% increase from June 2023.

The winter of 2024–2025 was especially harsh, with temperatures dropping to -10°C. Local councils in England, Scotland, and Wales activated the Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP). This measure was already in place (before 2024) and is usually triggered when temperatures drop below 0°C for three nights in a row, allowing for emergency shelter for rough sleepers.

In January 2025, the government increased its Rough Sleeping Winter Pressures Fund from £10 million to £30 million to help provide emergency accommodation during the coldest months. Even with these efforts, the increase in rough sleeping shows that there are still significant gaps in the system.

The current challenges are quite different from the 'Everyone In' policy that was put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw thousands of rough sleepers quickly housed to safeguard public health. The programme demonstrated what can be achieved when homelessness is addressed as a public emergency, backed by sufficient political commitment and organised efforts.

What can we learn from other countries?

Finland has adopted a ‘Housing First’ programme, which prioritises the need for a safe place to live, additionally providing access to employment training and mental health assistance, which can significantly improve the general quality of living.

The European Federation of National Organisations Working with the Homeless highlights that Housing First initiatives have significantly reduced chronic homelessness throughout Europe. By first concentrating on permanent housing and then on expert care and services, these countries have seen a significant decrease in the number of homeless people living on the streets.

The UK is piloting similar initiatives to ‘Housing First’, which gives people who are homeless immediate housing without any requirements beforehand. This method has shown good results, such as in cities like Glasgow and London, with participants successfully keeping stable housing and seeing improvements in their mental health. In Greater Manchester, the pilot scheme helped 430 people facing poverty, resulting in major positive changes in their lives.

Challenges of ‘Housing First’

The UK’s ‘Housing First’ programme has its advantages, but there are also a few challenges that have emerged:

  • There are worries about whether there will be enough housing and funding for mental health in the long run, and these are really important for the success of the program.
  • Some programmes call themselves ‘Housing First,’ but they don’t really follow the main idea, which is to give people immediate access to permanent housing without any conditions.
  • The severe shortage of housing and the long waitlists for services create major obstacles to effectively implementing ‘Housing First’, which restricts its reach and overall impact.

Breaking the cycle: solutions for change

Solving the intersection of mental illness and housing insecurity isn’t easy, but it is possible. Here’s how we can start:

  1. Expanding affordable housing options. Cooperation between the public and private sectors is crucial, given the demands on housing markets to create solutions to improve the affordability and accessibility of housing.
  2. Prioritise housing projects with on-site mental health and social service provisions. For example, shelters should have licensed psychologists on call to provide immediate and ongoing care.
  3. People dealing with mental health issues should have easy access to safe housing and sufficient in-home care services. To guarantee the effective enforcement of these rights, additional legislation is required, even if the Care Act 2014 and the Equality Act 2010 lay the groundwork. Effective homelessness management requires housing policy improvements that give priority to the specific requirements of persons with mental illness.
  4. Advocacy and public awareness campaigns can help debunk stereotypes, and can educate and transform public perceptions of the interplay between mental health and homelessness.

Conclusion: home is where healing begins

The cycle of mental illness and housing issues can be overcome. We can end instability and bring about sustainable change by reducing social barriers, advocating legislative improvements, and supporting evidence-based alternatives like Housing First.

Home is where the heart heals; we should provide everyone with a starting point.

By Jude Zalloum, Student Blog Writer at QMLAC and LLB Law Student. 

This blog is for information only and does not constitute legal advice on any matter. While we always aim to ensure that information is correct at the date of posting, the legal position can change, and the blogs will not ordinarily be updated to reflect any subsequent relevant changes. Anyone seeking legal advice on the subject matter should contact a specialist legal representative.

 

Works Cited

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