Background to Places of Change

The Hostels Capital Improvements Programme was a programme run by the Department for Communities and Local Government to improve the quality of hostel accommodation. Through the HCIP £90m of capital funding was invested over three years (2005-2008).

In November 2007 Communities and Local Government (CLG) announced the Places of Change programme. The new programme aims to build on the success of the Hostels Capital Improvements Programme (HCIP). It is providing a £80 million capital investment to help make hostels and day centres into 'places of change' for their service users. The investment will enable them to transform their environments and services in a way that will help service users to gain the skills and confidence to move on with their lives.

Funding is provided on the basis that there is evidence of a positive partnership between the local authority and provider(s), a project management approach to the building programme and agreed Supporting People funding or other revenue funding. In addition, the building design should facilitate improved service delivery.

From December 2008 the Places of Change Programme became part of the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA).

In the current round of the programme funding is allocated to around 80 projects in 34 English local authorities.

The Places of Change Programme is an important element of CLG's homelessness strategy. The programme is included in their rough sleeping strategy No One Left Out - Communities ending rough sleeping.