Homelessness Provision for the Future

Homeless Link has published two reports in September 2021 looking at the state of the homelessness sector and best practice as we emerge from the pandemic.

Using an online survey (n=158), interviews with sector leaders (n=8) and information gathering through our work with our over 900 members, Working Together: the homelessness sector’s path beyond COVID describes how the many challenges of the past year and a half have fostered a time of rapid change and growth across homelessness provision in England.

During the pandemic, at a time when many other services became entirely remote or stopped altogether, 72% of respondents stated they had increased their level and/or types of support, particularly in supporting clients’ mental health and basic needs. 50% increased their number of staff and many described scrambling to maintain and expand services to meet the growing and changing need in an environment dominated by short-term funding and a lack of affordable housing. 

Our second report, Homelessness Provision for the Future, expands on the themes identified in Working Together by exploring best practice during the pandemic. Fifteen case studies from across England are used to examine how the new ways of working have presented a chance for organisations to rethink and reprioritise.