Housing has two economic functions. It is a consumption good – it provides shelter – but also an investment. In relation to the latter, it can be a financial asset providing realised and unrealised capital gains and rental returns; a source of collateral to support borrowing; and an efficient store of wealth. The demand for housing as an investment can impinge on its function as a consumption good given an inherently limited supply of housing and land in desirable areas.
With around 5.5k cases annually, self-harm is one of Wales’ top 5 causes of hospital admission.
It’s clear that our mental health is shaped by social and economic factors. For example in England, adults in the most deprived areas have higher rates of mental health problems (26.2%) than those in the least deprived areas (16%).
In England, the suspected suicide rate was 11 per 100,000 in the 2 years up to January 2025 — 17.4 per 100,000 in males, 5.0 per 100,000 in females. The rate among unemployed people was 126.7 per 100,000. Men are around 3 times more likely to die by suicide than women — a gap that has widened over time. Women were more like to report a suicide attempt than men and just as likely to have suicidal thoughts.