Crisis: Homeless people are dying in their forties

 
Homeless people die 30 years younger than the national average, at 47, a shocking new study shows.

An analysis of the mortality of homeless people in England finds that homeless people are more likely to die young, with an average age of death of 47 years old, compared to 77 for the general population.

It means statistics haven’t changed in 20 years. Researchers at the University of Sheffield found the most common cause of death was alcohol- or drug-related.

Crisis chief executive Leslie Morphy said: "Homeless people are amongst the most vulnerable in our society and it is clear that despite significant investment in the NHS, they are not getting the help they need to address their health issues.

"The government and health services must do more to improve the health of single, homeless people and ensure they can access mainstream and specialist services. If they don't, then we fear homeless people will continue to die much younger than the general population."

Former rough sleeper Scott, aged 20, told the charity: “I wasn't eating, I wasn't drinking, I was dying, physically and mentally dying. I was shaking and scared. I have got a lot of health problems, I've got a heart murmur, two stomach ulcers, asthma, hay fever and suffer blackouts which is a sign of epilepsy.

"It does worry me, [being] without a doctor. It worries me because being homeless is one of the worst things in this world... people end up dying of suicide or drugs or alcohol, because they don't feel they have a life anymore."