The NHS spent more than £100 million in a single year on mental health patients who remained in hospital beds because appropriate housing was unavailable, according to a new report. Experts warn that forcing patients to stay in hospital when they are no longer medically necessary incurs a "huge cost to both individuals and the NHS."
Report findings
The report, jointly produced by the Royal College of Psychiatrists, Look Ahead, and the National Housing Federation, found that in February 2026, patients awaiting supported housing accounted for 23% of all mental health delayed discharge days. These housing-related delays resulted in 121,695 additional hospital bed days in 2024/25, costing the NHS approximately £102 million.
"Thousands of people who are clinically ready to leave hospital remain in inpatient settings because there is nowhere suitable for them to go," the authors wrote. They added that placing people in "inappropriate or unstable" housing can trigger "relapse and readmission in a damaging and costly 'revolving door' cycle."
Expert comments
Dr Jon Van Niekerk, chairman of the Royal College of Psychiatrists’ General Adult Faculty, expressed deep concern: "We are deeply concerned that people with mental illness are being kept in hospital for too long, or discharged into unacceptably poor accommodation, because there isn’t enough supported housing available. This is causing people to relapse and, in some cases, become severely unwell."
He emphasised the need to break this cycle: "It is vital that we break this cycle and ensure people have the opportunity to get better within their local community. Mental health and supported housing services must be supported to work together more closely to ensure people can leave hospital safely and make a full and stable recovery. This will improve patient outcomes, reduce pressure on hospitals and prove more cost effective in the long run."
Chris Hampson, chief executive at Look Ahead, which delivers mental health hospital discharge services across London and the South East, said: "When supported housing is available, people recover faster, avoid relapse and don’t cycle back through inpatient care. But when the right housing and support isn’t there, people are left waiting in hospital beds they no longer need, at huge cost to both individuals and the NHS. Supported housing must be recognised and funded as core mental health infrastructure, not as an optional add-on."
The Department of Health and Social Care has been approached for comment.
