Last updated: 02 April 2025

One of the most significant challenges faced by those involved in commissioning or delivering Housing First is securing timely, appropriate and affordable housing. Managing effective partnerships with housing providers and adopting the Housing First principles into housing management teams also need time and consideration.

Here we look at case studies from three Housing First services that have taken innovative approaches to address some of these housing challenges.

Greater Manchester Housing First (GMHF): active tenancies model

Challenge: Increasing difficulties accessing accommodation leading to people waiting long periods to receive suitable housing offers.

Solution: Establish a new ‘active tenancies’ approach, where housing providers would endeavour to always have a certain number of Housing First individuals with tenancies.

  • GMHF pitched the approach to the GM Housing Providers CEO Group, which agreed to the concept.
  • The housing need (current tenancies plus demand) was calculated based on local authority and provider footprint.
  • An uplift ask for active tenancies was made to the housing providers.
  • GMHF met with the housing providers at housing management level to explain the new approach.
  • Provider CEOs receive a monthly progress report, as does the Chair of the Group.

Outcome and benefits: 92% of housing providers agreed to increase their allocation (8% agreed to maintain their current level) and are working towards the target, with property offers going up in most regions.

  • Tenancies that come to an end are replaced; the property may be different, allowing the housing teams greater flexibility.
  • Housing provider CEO and housing management staff engagement has increased as they are included in the solution and updated on progress.

Liverpool City Region Housing First (LCRHF): securing priority need within the allocations policy

Challenge: Existing Choice Based Lettings Schemes have conditions that exclude some Housing First clients. Reviews of the allocations policies would not be finalised before Housing First launched.

Solution: Develop a flexible Housing First allocations process with housing partners, that could feed into the review of existing mainstream allocations policies.

  • Developed were: a bespoke Property Request Form including service user info, housing history and Housing First support received; an LCRCA ID Verification Letter for service users with no paperwork.
  • Under the flexible policy housing partners could make clients multiple property offers, giving them choice and control.
  • LCRCA and the Housing First Lived Experience Group fed into the lettings schemes reviews, demonstrating their exclusion of homeless individuals and citing the flexible Housing First allocations process as an example of what could be achieved.
  • LCRCA advocated for a high priority banding status for Housing First clients so swift accommodation offers could enable rapid rehousing.

Housing First services can lobby administrators of local lettings schemes to consider an allocations review.

Outcome and benefits: One lettings scheme now recognises Housing First within its allocations policy and allows service users to register.

  • Previous failed tenancies, rent arrears or criminal convictions do not preclude clients from registering.
  • Housing First clients are placed in Band A (priority need), where many would have previously been given lower priority or excluded for ASB or significant rent arrears.
  • An agreement was made for the LCRCA ID Verification Letter to be used at the point of application, with paperwork added as available.
  • Under the first year of the new allocations policy, Housing First saw a 100% increase on property offers received.

Westminster VAWG Housing First: managing partnerships with housing providers

Challenge: Ensuring the project addresses the challenges facing this group of women when accessing and maintaining housing.

Solution: Provide a Housing First Co-ordinator role with a VAWG lens, to lead on housing co-ordination and partner relationships and liaison.

- Oversee service level agreements with social housing providers to ensure accountability; facilitate the housing nominations process to remove barriers to engagement.

- Deliver Housing First briefings for housing providers on the principles, the client group and how/why their tenancies are treated differently.

- Conduct introductory tenancy sustainment briefings between all partners and the service user to ensure everyone understands the roles and responsibilities.

- Conduct a tenant-led 12-week tenancy review meeting, to identify and address any issues early on.

- Arrange quarterly partnership meetings, meet regularly with housing providers and troubleshoot and escalate any issues that arise.

Outcome and benefits: The support provider can dedicate their time to supporting the women rather than liaising with the housing provider.

- A positive relationship with housing providers ensures they meet their housing stock quota and holding them accountable.

- A platform is created for partnership working among housing providers, who can share best practice and support colleagues.

- Evictions are prevented as the Co-ordinator can work with the housing and support providers to find solutions to tenancy issues. Tenancy sustainment across the first four years of the project was 95%.

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Housing webinar

Watch our webinar featuring the three Housing First services discussing how they have overcome housing challenges.