Our research

Homeless Link is in a unique position to influence local, regional and national government on policies that affect homeless people. Our authority is based on genuine knowledge of what is happening on the ground among our members and other organisations. We take what we have learned about what’s working and what isn’t, and use our strong links in government to bring about change. 

Details of our current and past research projects are below. Information about our publications and all the latest research on homelessness published by other organisations and government can be found on Homeless Pages.

Who is supporting people now? - Our new report looks at the experiences of local authorities and service providers with recent changes to local authority commissioning.  We have also produced guidance for commissioners, which can be found on our Effective Action page. 

Critical Mass - Our interim report and ethics overview can be found on our Critical Mass pages.  We are working on the final research report in Spring 2013 and will publish the report here soon. 

Survey of Needs and Provision -  Homeless Link published the first Survey of Needs and Provision (SNAP) in 2008. The 2013 report provides an updated picture of the extent and nature of services for single homeless people and couples without dependent children in England, and the clients that use them.

Youth homelessness - A survey of frontline homelessness agencies and local authority housing options teams to investigate the extent and nature of youth homelessness in England. The first report was published in December 2011.

Projects and beds report - This series of reports uses data gathered for Homeless UK to track changes in the provision of homelessness services in England. The first report was published in June 2012.

Evictions and abandonments - Homeless Link was funded by the Oak Foundation to carry out a three year research and innovation project, looking at why evictions and tenancy abandonments happen, testing solutions, and disseminating good practice through a ‘change programme’ across England.

Emergency accommodation - A survey of provision in areas with no direct access hostel conducted in 2008.  This report is based on interviews with 145 local authorities across the country.

Migration project - In 2008/9 we looked at homelessness issues amongst Central and Eastern Europeans.  Our current project focuses on wider migrant groups who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.