A year and a half after the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) commissioned the Centre for Homelessness Impact to conduct a groundbreaking Systems-wide Evaluation of the Homelessness and Rough Sleeping system, we’re excited to share some early findings from our research. We’ve taken a fresh approach by using systems-thinking methods, and we believe this could create a step-change in improving the evidence base on homelessness in England.

You can read the report in full here: Systems-wide evaluation of homelessness and rough sleeping: preliminary findings - GOV.UK.

Looking at the Bigger Picture

Evaluating homelessness policies is vital to understand what works. But traditional approaches that narrowly focus on the effectiveness of individual programmes miss a lot of important context. We decided to take a broader approach, recognizing that homelessness and rough sleeping are the result of a complex mix of factors. By understanding the whole system, we can identify key areas where change would have the greatest impact.

How We Did It

You can’t understand how a system works from a desk. Our research combined systems thinking with on-the-ground fieldwork in five different local authority areas. We built a detailed map of the system, reviewed 30 major homelessness policies and programs, and conducted interviews with everyone from service users to local authorities and charities.

Key Takeaways

1. The System is Under Pressure: Rising rents, reduced welfare benefits, the cost of living crisis, and a shortage of affordable housing are creating major challenges. More families and refugees need help, and local authorities are struggling to keep up.
2. Crisis Relief vs. Prevention: Right now, a lot of government efforts are focused on crisis relief – that is, responding to emergencies – but not enough is being done to prevent homelessness in the first place. This limits our ability to create long-term solutions and stores up problems for the future.
3. Collaboration is Important: We’ve seen some positive signs of cross-departmental work, particularly on health and criminal justice. But conflicting priorities, like tackling the asylum backlog, can unintentionally increase the strain on the system.
4. Local Partnerships Make a Difference: The best results come when local councils, charities, and other groups work closely together. There’s a lot of untapped potential here with strong leadership and more efficient funding mechanisms.
5. Our Programs are Helping, but There’s More to Be Done: Initiatives like the Rough Sleeping Initiative and the Homelessness Prevention Grant have improved access to housing and support, but rising demand and ongoing pressures limit their effectiveness.

What’s Next?

Our findings are already helping to shape the Department’s long-term plan to get us back on track to end homelessness. This research is just the beginning, and we’ll keep working with all stakeholders to develop solutions that make a real difference for people experiencing homelessness while ensuring value for money for taxpayers.

A big thank you to the Centre for Homelessness Impact, local authority staff, stakeholders, and the service users who helped us with this research. We all have a role to play in tackling homelessness, and together, we can make meaningful change.

Fiona Shilston, Principal Research Officer – Homelessness, Multiple Disadvantage and Domestic Abuse Research and Evaluation, Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government