Supported housing saves lives... but it's disappearing due to funding cuts

It’s why we’re part of Starts At Home – a national campaign, led by the National Housing Federation, to highlight how important it is.

In fact, without supported housing there would be 41,000 more people who are homeless in England.

Supported housing about more than just putting a roof over someone’s head. It’s also about the specialist support that people receive once they’re living inside.

Once someone is safely inside a Porchlight property, our staff will put mental health support in place, help them work with drug and alcohol recovery services, and offer help with debt management and finding work.

But supported housing isn’t limited to homelessness. Without it, there would be:

• A need for 14,000 more inpatient psychiatric places each year
• A need for 2,500 more residential care places
• A need for 2,000 more prison places

Typically, supported housing is funded by councils. But many councils are facing extreme financial challenges and are struggling to fund them. As a result, lots of supported accommodation – including Porchlight’s homelessness accommodation – is at risk of closure.

The Starts At Home campaign is calling on the government to deliver:

• 67,000 more supported homes by 2040
• Ring-fenced supported housing funding for local councils
• A long-term housing plan (which includes affordable homes) so everyone can live in a home that meets their needs

You can learn more about the campaign here.

Everyone deserves somewhere safe and secure to call home. It enables them to build the life they want and will lead to a fairer future for everyone. We won’t give up until it’s a reality.