Britain is the sixth richest country in the world however increasing numbers of people are becoming homeless and forced to live on the street where many of them end up dead.
At least 449 homeless people have died in the UK in the last year in what’s been called a “national scandal”. An investigation by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism discovered the majority of deaths were men, aged between 18 and 94. The causes of death included suicide, assault, illnesses and drug overdoses. In some cases, people starved to death.
Howard Sinclair, chief executive of homeless charity St Mungo’s told the bureau: “These figures are nothing short of a national scandal. These deaths are premature and preventable.”
The British government says it is spending US$1.5 billion to tackle homelessness with the intention of ending rough sleeping by 2027.
Britain’s TV station Channel 4 broadcast a report detailing the deaths of people living on the street, prompting a response from Housing Secretary James Brokenshire: “The report you ran in relation to those who are dying on our streets is utterly shocking and does not reflect the modern Britain that we need to be.”