Practical tips

Our work

how is mental health and homelessness connected? 

Mental health and homelessness are deeply interlinked. This means that poor mental health can increase someone’s risk of becoming homeless and being homeless can also worsen a person’s mental health. 

How can mental health problems lead to homelessness?

Mental health challenges can make it harder for someone to stay in safe, stable housing. This can happen because of: 

Personal (individual) Factors: 

• Struggles with substance use 
• Conflicts in relationships (e.g., family breakdown, domestic violence) 
• Past trauma  
• Hoarding 
• Coping with the end of work. 

Wider (systemic) Factors: 

• Poverty and financial instability 
• A lack of affordable housing 
• Difficult transitions from foster care, prison or hospital 
• Stigma, racism and discrimination that make it harder to access help and housing. 

How can homelessness affect mental health?

Living without a stable home is incredibly stressful and can lead to or worsen mental health issues (Padgett, 2020). People experiencing homelessness are more likely to experience: 

• Depression, suicidal thoughts, self- harm and trauma 
• Substance use as a way of coping 
• Constant stress from things like not knowing where you’ll sleep, keeping safe or being judged or harassed by others. 

I have housing issues
how do I support myself mentally? 

Connect with others

Talking to friends or family members about your housing situation can provide emotional support. Social connections are important for mental health and can help reduce feelings of isolation.  

Seek professional help

It’s important to get help both for your housing and mental health needs. At the bottom of this page, you can find a list of organisations that can help you. 

Practice self-care:

Doing small things to make yourself feel better, like exercising, writing down your thoughts or making sure you sleep well can help you feel less overwhelmed. For more small practical tips, read our resource on improving your wellbeing. 

what can I do about housing problems? 

Housing issues can feel overwhelming, but you don’t have to face them alone. There are organisations and services that can support you whether you’re struggling to maintain your home or facing the risk of homelessness. 

• Contact your local council: They can offer advice and support on housing options, benefits or homelessness prevention. 
• Speak to a specialist organisation: Change Mental Health, Shelter and Citizens Advice provide expert guidance on housing rights and tenancy issues.  
• Ask for a care needs assessment: If your mental health makes it hard to manage daily tasks, such as cooking, cleaning or personal care – you can request an assessment from your local social services. This could lead to support in maintaining your independence at home. 

Partnership with Kingdom 

Kingdom Housing Association has partnered with Change Mental Health to embed a Mental Health Support Worker within its Tenancy Support Service (TSS).   

This forward-thinking, preventative initiative supports tenants experiencing psychological distress or complex emotional needs – particularly those at risk of tenancy breakdown, isolation or reliance on crisis services.  

Operating across:  

• Fife  
• Perth & Kinross  
• Clackmannanshire  
• Falkirk   

The service offers flexible, trauma-informed and non-clinical mental health support that helps tenants manage emotional wellbeing, strengthen daily coping skills and stay connected within their communities. 

Read our latest impact report on the service and partnership.