Nearly 40% of homeless are mentally unwell

UP TO 40% of homeless people suffer mental ill-health, locking them into a cycle of homelessness and resulting in imprisonment for some.

According to a survey by the Homeless Agency, since many homeless people suffered from eccentric behaviour or a personality disorder, they did not fit into the medical model of psychiatric treatment and therefore did not receive treatment.

"Their behaviour, which is often public, leads to them being imprisoned for short periods, with their lives becoming a revolving door between prison and the streets," the survey says.