News

Homelessness groups are calling for better monitoring of homeless people who die on the streets or in hostels after figures showed 85 deaths in London in the past year.

Organisations including day centres and night shelters sent names to charity Unleash: Church Action on Homelessness in London, which collects the information every year.

Unleash organiser Alastair Murray said homelessness groups were "scandalised" by the number of deaths.
He said: "This suggests that many people could not be getting the health services they need."

A commemoration service for homeless people who have died was held this month at St Martin in the Fields church in central London.

Projects manager at St Martin in the Fields Roger Shaljean said many of the people who had died over the year had suffered from respiratory conditions, mental health problems and alcohol-related illnesses.

Research conducted by Crisis found rough sleepers have an average life expectancy of 42 years and were 35 times more likely to commit suicide than the general population.