Our thanks to Bryn for this. An extract:

Though some “specialist” providers, such as women’s refuges, are exempt, other charities have said the changes threaten the future viability of their services for vulnerable people.

Reducing support for homeless hostels must have been an easy decision for the government to take, because almost 90% of the ‘street homeless’ are men. Many are ex-Armed Forces, often with mental health issues such as PTSD. These men often self-medicate with alcohol or other substances, and the NHS won’t treat them until and unless they’ve been ‘dry’ for a long period. Predictably, many commit suicide before they get help, saving the NHS a lot of money. Homelessness reduces people’s like expectancies by an average of 30 years. We covered the issue in our 2015 manifesto (pp.40-5).

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