Housing First

With a general election looming in 2024, we have published our manifesto to end homelessness. Drawn from from our unique position as the membership body for over 800 homelessness organisations across England. It builds on work with our members, on engagement with specialists and experts and on the rich body of evidence on what works to end homelessness, outlining our core ambitions of the next government.

The annual survey of services for people who at risk of homelessness shows an increase in demand for services, whilst the number of bed spaces is reducing. It highlights a growth in the number of people presenting with complex needs.

These resources support Housing First providers and commissioners to engage the criminal justice, health, mental health, social care and substance use sectors in Housing First.

This guidance for frontline services covers different points of transition in Housing First, including when a resident no longer needs support, periods in prison, death and dying, moving to alternative accommodation and withdrawal of consent.

Learn more about the evidence base for the effectiveness of Housing First, how the approach fits into the current policy setting, and the policy changes needed to ensure it can be scaled up nationally.

Homeless Link’s Housing First England research programme is designed to learn directly from services about how Housing First operates in England. We are using this new evidence to continue to develop services, to strengthen the relationship between these providers and the related services working with them to support residents, and to ensure that Housing First is a viable option for all those that need it.