In the collective mission to end homelessness in the UK, Housing First has emerged as a key part of the conversation. Its successes—both here and internationally—are widely acknowledged. Yet, there’s a risk of focusing too narrowly on the model of Housing First, when it's the underlying philosophy that holds the real key to change. 

This distinction is crucial. The philosophy underpinning housing first—the idea that having a safe and stable home is essential for improving life outcomes—is where its true power lies. By embedding this value into every aspect of how we prevent and address homelessness, we can unlock the systemic change needed to end homelessness for good in the UK.

The Housing First Model: powerful, but one tool among many

The Housing First model is a proven approach, but with a very specific target group: those with high and complex needs who have experienced chronic homelessness and are high-cost to public services. It prioritises providing permanent housing without preconditions, alongside personalised and relational support defined against 7 core principles.  

Its results are undeniable. Finland, for example, has used Housing First to virtually eradicate rough sleeping. We've also seen great successes in Canada, the USA, and in the UK. Housing First pilots in Greater Manchester, Liverpool City Region, and the West Midlands have demonstrated its potential to transform lives.  

Think of it as a specialised tool – incredibly effective for certain tasks, but not the solution for every problem. Housing First is resource-intensive. It requires significant investment in both housing and support services. Even with limitless resources, it's designed for what is essentially the tip of the iceberg when it comes to people affected by homelessness. We need to put the bulk of our efforts into stemming the flow of people into homelessness, which the Housing First model is not designed to do.

Evidence shows that unless we address the root causes of homelessness – like the lack of affordable housing or jobs that pay, and inadequate services or financial support for those at risk – we'll never truly stem the flow of people into homelessness.

The housing first philosophy: a paradigm shift

The true power of Housing First lies in its underlying philosophy. This approach redefines how we think about homelessness and what it takes to address it effectively. It's about seeing stable housing as a preventative measure, not just a solution for those already in crisis. It's about recognising that everyone deserves a safe and stable home, regardless of their circumstances.

Here's how this philosophy can reshape our approach to homelessness:

• Prioritising prevention: shifting our focus from managing homelessness to preventing it in the first place. This means investing in interventions that help people stay in their homes, such as rent support and mediation services. It also means addressing the root causes of homelessness, like poverty and lack of affordable housing.
• Ensuring rapid rehousing: if prevention fails and someone loses their home, the housing first philosophy emphasises the importance of rapid rehousing. This means helping people to secure permanent accommodation as quickly as possible, minimising the time spent in temporary accommodation, and ensuring that the housing provided is of good quality and meets their needs.
• Not (re)traumatising people: ensuring services are person-centered, prioritising dignity, choice, and self-determination. This means giving people a voice in the decisions that affect their lives and supporting them to make their own choices about their housing and support needs.
• Collective impact: embracing a whole-system approach to address homelessness. This means fostering collaboration and breaking down silos between housing, health, social care, and other services. It also means developing unified data systems and shared measurement practices to ensure that everyone is working towards the same goals and that resources are used effectively.

Learning from Greater Manchester: a case study   

Greater Manchester provides a compelling example of how the housing first philosophy can be put into action. Their journey begain in 2019 with a Housing First pilot programme focussed on individuals experiencing chronic homelessness. This pilot achieved impressive results: over 80% of participants remained in stable housing after two years, and many reported improved mental health and reduced substance use.

But Greater Manchester didn't stop there. Recognising the limitations of focusing solely on the most extreme cases, they embraced the broader housing first philosophy, embedding its principles into their homelessness prevention efforts. Their regional Homelessness Prevention Strategy focuses on early intervention, integrated services, and collaborative action.

To further accelerate progress, Greater Manchester has embarked on a housing first ciy-region initiative, built on three pillars: Supply, Standards, and Support. This means increasing the availability of affordable and appropriate housing options, ensuring that all housing meets quality standards and promotes wellbeing, and providing tailored support services to help people maintain their tenancies and thrive in their communities.

This initiative has already seen successes. For example, they've secured funding to develop 10,000 new affordable homes by 2028 and are implementing a Good Landlord Charter to improve the quality of private rented housing. They are creating a multi-agency housing first unit to support in tackling the core drivers of the housing crisis, and to embed new approaches across the three pillars of the Greater Manchester Housing First philosophy.

Translating bold goals into practice or changing systems is hard. That's why the Centre for Homelessness Impact will support the implementation and testing of these new efforts through a new 'accelerator' initiative to ensure impact is maximised and, most importantly, sustainable.

Greater Manchester is at the beginning of their journey, but they are showing how a housing first philosophy can be a powerful catalyst for system-wide change, moving beyond simply managing homelessness to actively preventing and ending it. By embracing the principles of housing first, prioritising collaboration, and investing in innovative solutions, Greater Manchester is creating a future where everyone has a place to call home.

Why the philosophy matters now

Focusing solely on the Housing First model risks overlooking its greatest strength: the potential to drive systemic change. The philosophy challenges us to think bigger, shifting our efforts from crisis response to prevention and early intervention. It's about recognising that housing is foundational to life outcomes, and that as a society we all benefit from ensuring everyone has a safe and stable home.

This philosophy offers a vision where homelessness is prevented or rare, brief, and non-recurrent. By focusing on dignity, choice, and improving life chances, we can address the root causes of homelessness, not just the symptoms.

With the use of temporary accommodation at record highs, now is the time to be bold. Now is the time to embrace the philosophy more broadly, move beyond a disproportionate focus on the most extreme cases, and fully embed its principles into our policies and practices across the UK.

The UK Government has made promising commitments, including a cross-departmental strategy on all types of homelessness and increased investment in prevention. The next vital step will involve translating these commitments into action, guided by the principles of housing first. As the experiences in Scotland and Wales – where the approach is referred to as ‘rapid rehousing’ – demonstrate, effective implementation requires dedicated resources for research and development, coupled with a relentless focus on embedding these principles in frontline services.

At the Centre for Homelessness Impact, we are working in Greater Manchester and Greater London on initiatives to help accelerate progress towards a ‘housing first’ vision. We are helping to build capacity, develop data-driven solutions, and foster collaboration to create a more effective and preventative approach to homelessness.

We are committed to championing this shift and supporting local partners to do their best work – because it is only by thinking and acting boldly that we will end homelessness for good.

• Lígia Teixeira is CEO of the Centre for Homelessness Impact