FOI REF: FOI-2023-1348
You asked
I am making a request for information about housing needs for adults with mental health issues in Kent county council area. Information required is as follows: 1. The total amount of housing in Kent 2. Total amount of adult requirements for housing. 3. How many adults are in the care system that require support living accommodation.
We said
Thank you for your request.
1. The amount of housing in Kent is publicly available from Census 2021 data. According to the Census, in 2021 there were 693,170 dwellings in Kent.
You can also find more up to date data in Table 125 of the following link to a report generated by Department for Levelling Up Housing and Communities (DLUHC): Dwelling stock estimates by local authority district statistics.
2. Unfortunately, we do not collect statistics on "requirements for housing" or housing need. DLUHC may be better place to assist with this element of your enquiry. Their FOI team can be contacted at mhclgcorrespondence@levellingup.gov.uk.
3. The Census does not collect data specifically about mental health. The three health questions ask:
- How is your health in general?
- And then, do you have any physical or mental health conditions or illnesses lasting or expected to last 12 months or more? And lastly, do any of your conditions or illnesses reduce your ability to carry out day-to-day activities?
However, our outputs do not differentiate between mental or physical conditions.
The census can also tell us how many people already live in mental health hospitals and how many people have very bad health/disability in households. But not if they need/want to move to a care facility or how many already in the care system (communal establishments generally, not mental health units) need support.
The following dataset breaks down the number of people in the various types of communal establishment by local authority, which may be of interest to you: Communal establishment management and type.
NHS digital may be better placed to assist with this element of your enquiry. Their FOI team can be contacted at england.contactus@nhs.net.