2023 Annual Review of Support for Single Homeless People in England

For the past 16 years, Homeless Link has produced an Annual Review of the available support for single homelessness in England. Single homeless people are less likely than families to be to be entitled to housing from their local authority, and therefore often rely on homelessness charities for accommodation, advice and other forms of support. Support for Single Homeless People in England: Annual Review 2023 provides vital evidence of the support provided by these services to inform policy and practice. It is the only available data source of its kind on the homelessness sector in England.

The findings are based on four key data sources, including surveys of 241 accommodation providers and 61 day centres from across England, data from the Homeless England database, and national government statistics. The review provides a detailed overview of the nature and availability of key services, the challenges and opportunities faced by the sector, the support needs and circumstances of the people accessing services, and the various ways in which the sector helps people move out of homelessness and achieve other positive outcomes in their lives.

Availability of homelessness services

The homelessness sector has been steadily contracting since 2008 when this research series began, and at a rate that is at odds with the increases in homelessness and rough sleeping seen across England.

• There are currently 907 accommodation projects for single homeless people in England. This number has marginally decreased by 0.4% from 2022, but is still 30% lower than a decade ago in 2013, and 48% lower than 2008 when this data series began.
• There are 32,466 bedspaces in England, a decrease of 2% from 2022, an 18% decrease from 2013, and a 45% decrease since 2008.
• With growing pressure on services, 67% of accommodation projects reported having to turn someone away from support because their project was full.
• A total of 168 day centres operate throughout England as of 2023. This is a slight decrease compared to 2022 when there were 173 day centres.

Support needs and support services available

There is evidence that since the pandemic the level and visibility of support needs of people accessing homelessness services has increased substantially.

• 83% of day centres are seeing an increase in people experiencing homelessness for the first time, as are 46% of accommodation providers.
• Accommodation providers and day centres reported substantial increases in refugees accessing their services, at 60% and 67% respectively. Both reported a 48% increase of people with no recourse to public funds.
• Mental health remained the most common support need among accommodation providers (95%), a 14% increase since 2022 and a 61% increase compared to 2017. It was also the most common support need among day centres (98%).
• Day centres also reported high levels of drug dependency (94%), alcohol addiction (94%) and dual diagnosis (94%).
• Access to mental health support remains the biggest barrier for both accommodation providers and day centres (92% and 91% respectively). Accommodation providers also reported barriers in accessing physical health care services (64%) while 69% of day centres reported barriers in accessing immigration advice.

Funding 

Since the lifting of the Supporting People ringfence in 2008, the funding model of the sector has changed substantially, with a steady rise in Housing Benefit as the main source of funding.

• Since 2008 there has been a 1700% increase in Housing Benefit as the main funding source for homelessness accommodation providers (35%). 82% of providers receive Housing Benefit as part of their overall income.
• At the same time there has been a 71% decrease in local authority commissioned contracts.
• 48% of day centres rely on fundraising, grants and philanthropy as their main source of funding.
• 41% of accommodation providers and 33% of day centres reported they risk service closures due to rising costs, and 36% of accommodated providers stated they have already reduced their provision.

Move-on from accommodation 

Accommodation providers are facing increasing barriers to the ability to support people into secure, sustainable housing.

• 29% (2,908) of people currently being accommodated are waiting to move on into more secure, sustainable housing.
• 54% (1,584) of people waiting to move on have been waiting for six months or longer.
• Lack of available social housing (86%) and the lack of private rented sector (PRS) accommodation at Local Housing Allowance rate (63%), are the two main barriers to move-on from homeless accommodation.