Sarah was made homeless again

While on the streets, Sarah visited two local hostels to see if they could provide her with temporary shelter, but they turned her away as the hostels were for Men only. This situation left Sarah not knowing where to go except that she was an outpatient at the local mental health hospital. So, on her next visit to the psychiatrist there, she was so desperate she asked if they could admit her – and they did.

Sarah’s rehabilitation

Sarah was admitted and became a patient there for 22 weeks, and although it was tough, she underwent rehabilitation which led to a positive turnaround. The team there helped her with drug misuse and got her the medication and support needed to improve her mental health and drug misuse issues. When Sarah was discharged, she managed to get a part-time job, secure a rented room, and continued her rehabilitation.

Experiencing Homelessness again

The second time Sarah became homeless, things followed a similar pattern. She had been working part-time in a shop, but once again, she lost her job due to absenteeism caused by her worsening mental health. She had no job, no money, and had rent to pay. Sarah applied for benefits, but there was a mix-up, and her benefit money was sent to the wrong account.

Eventually, they resolved the problem with her benefit payments, but she became ill again because of her mental health issues. Sarah then withdrew from the benefits system because she found it too complicated to handle and it exacerbated her mental health issues. She soon could not afford the rent and had to leave the property.

Helping hands

Once again, a few friends tried to help her, with one friend helping her access benefits again and suggesting she should approach her local authority for homelessness assistance. Sarah stayed at her friend’s house for a few nights until her appointment with the homelessness services team at the local authority.

The safety net

The team at her Local Authority considered Sarah’s needs a priority, and immediately placed her into temporary accommodation. At the same time, they also looked for longer-term accommodation that could provide her with suitable support. A housing register application was submitted on her behalf, and eventually, she was allocated a property with floating support for her mental health issues.

Sarah’s reality

The whole experience was terrifying for Sarah on both occasions, not knowing where she would spend the night. She felt abandoned and alone. At times, she had no one to turn to and would ask friends if she could sleep on their floor. They came through at first but then helped ran out quickly.

Mental ill health, drug misuse, poverty, and repeated homelessness were all interlinked in her case, and as is often the case with people who experience homelessness, safety nets can fall apart, and she went into a downward spiral.