Legal News

Welsh Assembly Deputy Health Minister Vaughan Gething has said that alcohol misuse is one of the main causes of people becoming homeless.

Mr Gething was speaking at the launch of a new scheme at Dyfrig House, in Cardiff, which offers a specialist service for homeless people dealing with drug and alcohol problems.

Research from Public Health Wales shows that between 30% and 40% of people become homeless because of alcohol misuse, with an estimated 60% of the homeless population in Wales drinking alcohol at hazardous and harmful levels.

Public Health Wales also says 40% of homeless alcohol users believe a lack of stable housing is the main barrier to their recovery – and drug and alcohol abuse are particularly common causes of death among the homeless population, accounting for just over one-third of all deaths.

The Welsh Government is currently consulting on proposals to introduce a minimum unit price (MUP) for alcohol.

The proposals are based on evidence showing that an MUP would specifically target the heaviest drinkers, to prevent the harm caused by excessive alcohol intake, while minimising the impact on moderate drinkers.

Research that shows a 50p MUP would prevent one death every week in Wales.

The Welsh government says that, under the Housing (Wales) Act 2014, local authorities have a duty to help prevent and relieve homelessness, irrespective of their priority need status – and should ensure everyone with substance misuse problems is assisted to address their housing and related needs and aid their recovery.

Mr Gething said:

“Each death caused by drug or alcohol misuse is a personal tragedy for the individuals and their family and friends.

“Tackling substance misuse continues to be a priority for the Welsh Government. That’s why we’re investing almost £50 million this year, in order to reduce the harm caused by substance misuse.

“As a government, we are doing all we can to prevent and relieve homelessness, taking decisive action to prevent homelessness from occurring in the first place – and supporting those who find themselves homeless as a result of a drug or alcohol problem to turn their lives around.”

Dyfrig House was originally opened in 1967 to provide drop-in advice and support for people who wanted to address problematic alcohol misuse. In later years, the service was developed further to provide accommodation to those who were homeless and wished to access accommodation and support.

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