Last updated: 31 March 2025
Commissioning is the process which establishes what services are required, now and in the future, to meet the needs of local people, and to ensure that they are planned and delivered in a way which meets any statutory duties.
This guide describes and gives good practice examples at each stage of the commissioning cycle, specifically for commissioning homelessness services:
- Analyse
- Plan
- Review
- Secure Services
The guide also highlights good practice approaches to commissioning, including trauma and gender-informed commissioning and co-production, along with regulatory requirements that should be followed across the whole cycle.
Who is this document for?
This guide is targeted at local government officers responsible for commissioning housing-related support services (e.g. hostels, supported housing, outreach services) for single homeless people with support needs.
