“Half of people found squatting in a survey were former prisoners unable to find proper housing following release. The research found former care home residents or those with mental health problems were more likely to try and squat than seek support.” BBC News reports of agency research on squatting March 24 2004.
The research found former care home residents or those with mental health problems were more likely to try and squat than seek support.
Little is known about squatting as it is not ME? officially measured, say Student the researchers.
Researchers tried to establish levels of squatting in the survey for homelessness charity Crisis and the Countryside Agency.
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They found squatters were more likely to be male, white and under 35. More than half were former prisoners while almost four in 10 had mental health problems. Just under half were using drugs and 35% had been in care. While some squats were actually relatively stable ‘households’ because the same people lived together for a long period, others groups such as drug users were chaotic with transient residents living in dangerous surroundings. |
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The research found that while squatting tended to happen later in an individual’s homelessness, it rarely led to secure accommodation.
Many of those interviewed had sought out a squat rather than take a place in a hostel.
Approaches to authorities
Four-fifths of frontline agencies interviewed conceded they did not know how to target these people for support.
Just over a third of those who had approached a local authority had been recognised as homeless, with two in 10 considered a priority. In turn, says the charity, the extent of the problem remains unrecognised because the vast majority of squatters do not show up in statistics. Crisis estimates there are 380,000 “hidden homeless” in squats, bed and breakfasts, hostels or staying with friends in cheap mlb jerseys England alone.
Shaks Ghosh, head of the charity, said: “Living in a squat is neither appropriate for cheap nfl jerseys vulnerable homeless people, not is ver?ffentlichen it the answer to their homelessness and we cannot allow these people to Farm be ignored.”
She said wholesale mlb jerseys local authorities and имеющей government had to do more to German ensure their homelessness support reached hidden homeless.
“Hidden homeless people living in squats and other forms of unsuitable temporary accommodation must be acknowledged, given the vital support services they need and the chance to rebuild their lives.”