Steve McCabe met with campaigners from mental health charity, Mind to discuss the link between mental health and housing.
Mind are kick-starting conversations to make sure the rights of people with mental health problems are firmly on the housing agenda. Mind launched a short film ‘Beyond Bricks’ in which three people with mental health problems – Nadia, Gabbi and Sarah – describe the serious impact poor housing can have on our mental health. The film showcased the toll renting privately or living in social housing can have on people’s wellbeing and mental health. The video showed stories of evictions and rent issues, causing stress and concern to many people suffering with housing issues.
Steve McCabe said:
“It is important to think about the link between housing and mental health. Around one in four people will experience a mental health problem in any given year, and previous research by Mind found more than two in five people with mental health problems living in social housing have seen their mental health deteriorate as a result of where they live. I’m committed to doing all I can to transform this so that everyone in my constituency gets the information, advice and access to the housing that they need and deserve, to help people recover and stay well.”
Paul Farmer, Chief Executive of Mind, said:
“We are really pleased that Steve McCabe MP took the time to listen to people’s first-hand experiences as well as find out more about some of the work our local Minds do to support people in Birmingham. With so much focus on Brexit right now, key policies relating to housing, benefits, and people’s legal rights and liberties are being held up or risk going under the radar. We cannot let social housing reform be put on the backburner.”
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