This week, the Government published its National Plan for Ending Homelessness, which included welcome recognition of the specific barriers faced by people leaving prison.  

Explicit acknowledgement of challenges facing people leaving prison: 

The plan explicitly highlights that people leaving prison are the largest group at risk of rough sleeping on release and are ‘very likely’ to be owed a homelessness duty. It subsequently commits to halving the number of people who become homeless on their first night after leaving prison, and to increasing the number in settled accommodation three months after release and beyond.  

Though the ambition is a positive one, its success relies on broader reforms such as increasing social housing supply, removing barriers to the private rented sector (affordability and prejudice against people who have been in prison), and the unfreezing of the Local Housing Allowance, to name a few.  

Public sector coordination: 

The Plan also elaborates on existing policy failures, including ‘poor coordination’ across public services, leading to people ‘falling between the cracks without getting the help they need’. This necessitates a need – as the plan sets out – for tackling homelessness to be a ‘shared responsibility’ and shared objective across all relevant public services.  

This would be supported by a new ‘duty to collaborate’, which would place ‘new legal duties on public services to identify, act and collaborate to prevent and address homelessness.’  

As was set out in this report by the Reducing Reoffending Third Sector Advisory Group (RR3) Special Interest Group (SIG) on Accommodation, ‘a focus on effective multi-agency delivery, assessing and identifying each person’s needs, is a common theme in seeking solutions to improving resettlement processes for people leaving prison.’ Any new duty must therefore ensure effective coordination between all relevant stakeholders, both statutory and non-statutory, starting well before a person is released from prison.  

Measures to address homelessness for people leaving prison: 

The Plan’s measures aimed at people leaving prison include further investment in Community Accommodation Service (CAS3) provision, improved pre-release planning, and the use of digital tools to match individuals with accommodation. Combined, these are welcome proposals and reflect many of the sector's calls co-produced through the work of the RR3 SIG on Accommodation.  

As already stated, this focus and the accompanying measures are a positive step but require funding and further work to reduce the barriers to housing that are specific to people leaving prison.  

The Plan also references the Sentencing Bill, which it is hoped will support the Government ‘in preventing homelessness by minimising the number of people on short prison sentences’, with the Government working towards ‘ensuring that the right provision exists in the community for those who will instead be on community sentences.’ Given the Sentencing Bill will result in more people being supported in the community, this will again require the necessary resources to ensure that adequate housing options are available.  

Multiple disadvantage: 

As Making Every Adult Matter (MEAM) has set out in its response to the Plan, there are more positive signs regarding support for those experiencing multiple disadvantage. This includes the commitment of £55.8 million for a new multiple disadvantage programme, which MEAM explains will be ‘delivered as a collaboration between government departments.’ 

Additionally, the Government has committed to: 

• Investment in new models of mental health support and implementation of the Co-occurring Mental Health and Substance Use Delivery Framework 
• Continuation of the Rough Sleeping Drug and Alcohol Treatment programme 
• Ensuring that multiple disadvantage is a central art of the new Local Outcomes Framework, placing requirements on local authorities around multiple disadvantage for the first time  

A lack of specific policy-related levers: 

The Plan remains noticeably light on the systemic policy levers that need pulling in order to support people leaving prison. CAS3 provides support for 84 nights, post-release, but the challenge remains in securing settled, move-on accommodation. Concerted, cross-departmental action, focused on eliminating homelessness among people leaving prison is needed, which requires funding. The plan’s platforming of Housing First is encouraging, given the evidence testifying to its effectiveness, but further success depends on the Government having the political will, and providing the funding, to expand its provision. 

Leveraging the expertise of the voluntary sector: 

The voluntary sector working in criminal justice has set out what this action should look like. We’ve referenced the first SIG report, earlier in this blog, but there are further resources we’d urge the Government to explore. The second report looks specifically at access to the PRS and the third, focuses on housing-related support.  

Looking Ahead: 

The National Plan to End Homelessness marks an important shift in national recognition of the challenges facing people leaving prison. Now, it’s contingent on the Government to work with the sector on implementation, leveraging its expertise and providing the resources to make a success of its laudable ambitions.