Our achievements so far

In early 2007 Homeless Link launched Ending Homelessness: From Vision to Action in the Houses of Parliament, a pamphlet for politicians of all parties and for everyone involved in making change happen. 

Here are some of our achievements so far - turning vision to action.

2007 Comprehensive Spending Review

We campaigned for over a year to influence the outcome of the Comprehensive Spending Review 2007 (CSR 07). We wrote to all MPs, met officials, and lobbied with Treasury ministers as part of a wide alliance of organisations calling for increased investment in housing, including supported housing. Read our submission to the CSR.   

• We recommended a new PSA social inclusion target for adults

The Socially Excluded Adults Public Service Agreement (PSA 16) was introduced in April 2008, the first of its kind. PSA16 aims to increase the proportion of at-risk individuals in settled accommodation and employment, education or training. As work around the target has progressed there has been increasing Government recognition of the issue of adults with multiple needs.

The Making Every Adult Matter (MEAM) coalition was forged between Homeless Link, MIND, Drugscope and Clinks to bring a focus onto adults with multiple needs and experiencing multiple exlcusion.  

• The MEAM coalition launched its multiple needs manfesto at the party conferences in 2009 with support from ministers and shadow ministers
• We lobbied for investment to turn hostels and day centres into Places of Change, where people could find not just a room of their own but the activities and services that would help them on the journey out of homelessness.

Through the £90m Hostels Capital Improvement Programme many hostels and day centres are becoming Places of Change. The 2007 CSR provided a 3 year extension to this programme and an additional £80m investment, under the name Places of Change Programme.  Feedback from completed schemes in the original 'Places of Change' programme (the Hostels Capital Improvement programme) funded from 2005-08 showed an 80% increase in the number of people moving on positively from homelessness services. This includes 800 service users who have gained employment.

In addition, over 1650 people have entered further education; 2000 received pre-employment training; and 800 attended volunteering placements. 

What’s next?
The operational delivery of the Places of Change Programme transferred to the newly formed Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) in December 2008 and Homeless Link regional managers continue to provide support to the Programme.

Government commits to end rough sleeping by 2012 and sets out action plan

Ten years on from the original Government strategy to reduce rough sleeping by two thirds and ‘as close to zero as possible’, Homeless Link lobbied for 3 years for a refreshed ambition. This resulted in a sector wide consultation in Spring 2008 followed by the launch of the new rough sleeping strategy, No-One Left Out – Communities ending rough sleeping, in November 2008, a fifteen point action plan to end rough sleeping by 2012 that has cross-departmental support and the personal backing of the Prime Minister.

We are setting out new plans to prevent people ending up on the streets and renewing our determination to end rough sleeping once and for all.

Rt Hon Gordon Brown MP

What’s next?
In the run up to 2012 Homeless Link will be working with partners in all local areas to make each of the actions in the strategy a success. We will support the sector to ‘upstream’ services, so that they actively promote an end to rough sleeping and we will support members and partners in the delivery of this work. We work in areas where prevention needs to be strengthned to find changes in policy or practice that can reduce the risk of people ending on the streets.

We will ensure our lobbying work in the lead up to the General Election keeps ending homelessness and rough sleeping high on the political agenda.

Mayor’s London Housing Strategy aims to end rough sleeping in time for the Olympics

In the run up to the London mayoral elections in 2008, Homeless Link lobbied all candidates to support our ambition.  Following consultation with Homeless Link and other agencies, Boris Johnson, Mayor of London, issued the draft London Housing Strategy in November 2008, which commits to ending rough sleeping by 2012.

We must aim to get people off the streets and in to work. I have committed to ending rough sleeping by 2012.

Mayor Boris Johnson

What’s next?
The London Housing Strategy now goes to the Greater London Assembly and the Mayor's Functional Bodies for consultation. A period of public consultation will follow in the spring and it is expected to become law towards the end of 2009.

All parties ENGAGE WITH VISION OF endING homelessness

In May 2008 the Conservative Party launched the Homelessness Foundation. David Cameron said “it is the Conservative Party who is taking the lead in the fight against homelessness”. Jenny Edwards, our CEO, chairs the foundation which is also supported by the CEOs of other major homelessness charities. At the 2008  Labour and Conservative party conferences, Homeless Link handed out a 10-point manifesto outlining the key things that need to happen to put an end to street homelessness. At the 2009 conferences we showed people how they could make a difference in their own area.

What’s next?
We will continue to lobby cross governmental departments and the Shadow cabinet at a national and local level. We also work with local authorities and their leaders who are taking inspiring steps to ensure communities do end rough sleeping.

National research programme produces evidence of best ways to tackle and prevent homelessness

In May 2008 the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) committed to a groundbreaking new research programme on improving the evidence base around “multiple exclusion homelessness.” The £700,000 programme includes funding from the Housing Corporation, Joseph Rowntree Foundation, Communities & Local Government and the Department of Health. Homeless Link led the development of this significant research programme in partnership with the ESRC and a range of charities and statutory agencies involved in homelessness.

What’s next?
The successful projects were announced early in 2009. 

Housing needs assessments consider full range of homelessness

The Move-on Plans Protocol (MOPP) was developed and launched by Homeless Link in 2007 after a successful campaign by Homeless Link with its members to get attention focused on this issue. Local authorities across the country have started to use it in partnership with local hostel providers and housing associations.

What’s next?
Homeless Link will review how the MOPP is being used in different areas with a specific focus on how the data produced can link to local housing market assessment, housing strategies and investment decisions.

Review of private rented sector (PRS) recommends fiscal incentives, investment and tenure changes

A major review to improve the private rented sector was announced in January 2008 by Housing and Planning Minister, Yvette Cooper. We fed into the review, by Julie Rugg and David Rhodes, which was published in November 2008. The central themes fit largely with the Homeless Link view on improving the private rented sector. The review calls for the PRS to be seen as a tenure of choice rather than where people end up if they have no other option. The proposed policy directions of travel focus on “growing” the business of lettings at all levels through fiscal and other incentives and investment; better lettings management; mitigating the risks associated with renting; and greater tenancy sustainability, especially for vulnerable groups.

What's next?
We are waiting to see the impact of the Rugg Review in the Housing Reform Green Paper and in Housing Benefit Reform.

Public and third sector share understanding of supporting life change for vulnerable people with multiple needs

The launch of the Making Every Adult Matter coalition in partnership with Clinks, DrugScope and Mind in December 2008 started this process with support from Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation.

What’s next?
The coalition has hired a project / policy manager Ollie Hilbery to co-ordinate the campaign.  A Four Point Manifesto was launched at the 2009 Party Conferences