Making Every Adult Matter (MEAM) is a coalition of four national charities – Clinks, DrugScope, Homeless Link and Mind – formed to influence policy and services for adults facing multiple needs and exclusions. Together the charities represent over 1,600 frontline organisations working in the criminal justice, drug treatment, homelessness and mental health sectors.

Drawing on a survey of 140 front-line services and conversations with more than 50 of the people they support, ‘Voices from the Frontline’ highlights that:
• There are an estimated 60,000 adults in England who face a combination of complex needs including homelessness, drug and alcohol misuse, mental health problems, offending and family breakdown.
• 86% of services report that recent welfare changes have had a negative effect on their clients’ mental health.
• Only 2% of services believe that welfare reform have helped their clients get a job.
• Official figures indicate that between the first quarters of 2013 and 2014, the number of people on Employment and Support Allowance who were sanctioned rose by 346%.
• 79% of services reported that sanctions are negatively affecting over half of their service users with multiple needs.

The research finds that while 4 in 10 services believe multiple needs had become more important for local commissioners over the last two years, this is not translating into better services.