In the period before his release from prison, Robert Barraclough grew anxious about facing homelessness. He informed staff of his fear of sleeping in a tent in cold weather and started to self-harm. Serving a 19-month term for assault and criminal damage at HMP Nottingham, he had initially expressed hope about reuniting with family and working at a friend’s scaffolding firm. As his release date neared without secured housing, his mental health worsened. He told a support worker he had nothing outside prison and intended to end his life. Rejected from several probation approved premises, he was offered a YMCA Mansfield bed but no space was open for a week after his 21 October 2022 release. On release day at 10.30am, his support worker tried contacting probation about a temporary hotel room but received no answer. The next day, Barraclough, aged 47, was found dead in a Mansfield house after taking prescription medication and smoking crack cocaine. He is among a rising number of individuals who have died within two weeks of release from prison in England and Wales while homeless. Analysis shows deaths in this timeframe reached a record high since 2021 began, with one in five involving homelessness. Experts link the trend to housing shortages, limited mental health and substance services funding, and strained probation and prison systems. Ombudsman reports reveal how substance misuse, mental health issues and homelessness combine to leave people unsupported. Darren Docherty, 48, with prior mental health and self-harm history, died by suicide six days after release from HMP Stoke Heath in August 2023 following a robbery sentence. Denied emergency housing, he slept in a tent. His GP and probation officer sought hotel accommodation without success, and his next appointment was scheduled after a holiday gap. His body was discovered on 10 August. Mark Johnston, 49, died of a drug overdose five days after release from HMP Swansea in April 2024 with no housing. Delayed resettlement support and unclear responsibilities contributed. Andy Keen-Downs of the Prison Advice and Care Trust described a perfect storm from rising prison numbers and mental health pressures, noting chronic post-release support gaps and service cuts. Many released into homelessness return to prison, face long-term street living or die, often worsened by drugs and alcohol. Pact aids family ties to reduce these risks and calls for support from the start of sentences.
