CSJ Archives - Steve Morgan Foundation

SMF backs the expansion of Housing First to tackle homelessness

The Steve Morgan Foundation has partnered with the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) by providing £80,000 to support their policy work on Housing First to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping in England. Together we have launched a report which sets out a fully costed proposal to expand the Housing First approach nationally following proven results from the pilots.

Homelessness and rough sleeping are on the rise in England

In 2024, rough sleeping was up 20 per cent on the previous year, and 91 per cent since the COVID-19 pandemic. The years following the success of ‘Everyone In’ have been marked by rising homelessness, increasingly visible on the streets of England’s cities and towns. Rough sleeping is just the tip of the iceberg. Last year, English councils spent £2.3 billion on temporary accommodation, a crisis that is pushing local authorities to the point of bankruptcy.

Over the last seven years, Housing First has been shown to be the most effective and well-evidenced intervention to end homelessness for Britain’s most disadvantaged and entrenched rough sleepers. Without a commitment to rolling it out further, the government will struggle to meet its manifesto commitment by the end of the Parliament.

No Place Like Home

In this report, made possible by the Foundation, we make the case for a targeted expansion of Housing First in England, to deliver 5,571 places by 2029/30. This would scale-out the success of the three national pilots in Liverpool City Region, Greater Manchester and West Midlands, ensuring that every English region has access to an equivalent Housing First intervention.

Alongside a cross-government strategy that is focused on prevention, a national Housing First programme will respond to the most severe consequences of homelessness, by targeting the most vulnerable and disadvantaged cohort.

Read the No Place Like Home report here

Steve Morgan CBE said:

“Housing First begins with a simple but powerful principle: a permanent home. From that solid foundation, people can access the tailored, wraparound support they need to address deep-rooted challenges. It’s an approach rooted in common sense, recognising that no one can rebuild their life whilst trapped in an endless cycle of homelessness, emergency accommodation, and crisis services.

“And it works. In my home city of Liverpool, Housing First has been incubated and refined through one of three national pilots.”

SMF supports Housing First project to end rough sleeping

The Steve Morgan Foundation has pledged £80,000 to the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) to support a new programme of research and advocacy to help end rough sleeping in England. The CSJ’s research will draw on the success of the Housing First schemes in Liverpool and Manchester, putting practical recommendations based on local learning to the government and combined authorities.

About Housing First

Housing First offers a transformative solution to homelessness. Unlike traditional approaches, which often require individuals to prove ‘tenancy-readiness’ before accessing mainstream housing, Housing First provides permanent housing as the starting point without conditions other than an individual’s willingness to maintain a tenancy. It then delivers intensive, person-centered wrap-around support tailored to each individual’s needs.

Three Housing First pilots were launched in 2018 in Liverpool, Manchester and the West Midlands, which have been game changing. Over 1,000 chronically homeless individuals have been supported, with 92% living in long-term accommodation one year after beginning the programme and the rate of crime and anti-social behaviour cut in half, compared to just 30% sustaining their tenancies in conventional schemes.

With the recent publication of rough sleeping stats, which have surged since the pandemic, and the announcement that the Government will invest nearly £1bn in initiatives to turn the tide on homelessness, the Steve Morgan Foundation is getting behind CSJ to launch a high-profile research and advocacy project, building on the success of the Housing First pilots, to provide a blueprint for rolling out the initiative nationally with the aim of ending rough sleeping in England once and for all.

Alongside the financial support, we will share our knowledge and insights into housing as well as provide on-the-ground support and collaboration with relevant charities and stakeholders with the aim of positively influencing government policy to help change lives for good.

Steve Morgan commented:

“I know firsthand the importance of a stable home. This is why I believe that Housing First is the key to tackling persistent rough sleeping. Providing individuals with the security of a permanent home, alongside the support they need, gives them the foundation to rebuild their lives. It’s not just about four walls and a roof, Housing First provides dignity, stability, and a path to a brighter future. I agree with the CSJ that this is an approach we must scale to ensure we tackle rough sleeping for good.”

We look forward to sharing further updates as the project progresses.