Rough Sleeping Programme Guidance

Question 1

1. Introduction

Accepted Answer

1.1 Overview

The Prime Minister, on his first day in office, announced an urgent national drive to end rough sleeping at the earliest opportunity. The Prime Minister has set his ambition to tackle one of the starkest injustices in the country and he is clear that everybody should have a route off the streets this winter.

For too long, we have turned a blind eye to rough sleeping in the belief that ending it will take decades or is impossible. This government is making a different choice. We want this country to be a place where people have the security of a roof over their head, and no-one is left behind or written off.

But we are also clear that national government does not have all the answers. It will be through local leaders, charities, purpose-driven businesses, community groups and volunteers that we make the change we all want to see. There is a great wealth of expertise across civil society, from those who have been homeless themselves to those who work to support them, all of which will be critical to this national effort.

That is why we are launching a new national Rough Sleeping Programme (the Programme). The Rough Sleeping Programme combines immediate provision for a route off the street for everyone before Christmas this year, with longer-term settled accommodation and intensive support for people who have experienced long-term rough sleeping^{[footnote 1]}. Together, these interventions are intended to help people urgently move away from rough sleeping by Christmas, while building sustainable routes into settled homes and ongoing support.

The Programme will be led by local areas (including both Mayoral Strategic Authorities and local authorities), providing flexibility to deliver the support and accommodation needed in their community to help people off the streets.

It will provide funding for:

a ‘route off the streets’, to ensure every area can make an offer of support or accommodation, so that people sleeping rough have a route off the streets before Christmas this year. Alongside accommodation, this will provide wider support services to people sleeping rough, including identifying a route into more permanent accommodation through the private rented sector, social housing sector, supported housing sector or the focused scheme outlined below, where appropriate
settled accommodation with intensive wraparound support, to fund the delivery of long-term homes and intensive support for people who have experienced the longest periods of rough sleeping and face the greatest barriers to leaving the streets permanently. This includes preventative work to ensure that where possible people don’t sleep rough, and work to ensure that people successfully transition from rough sleeping into settled accommodation. We expect the first new homes to be delivered from 2027/28, with support provided from winter 2026 to prepare people experiencing long-term rough sleeping to move into settled accommodation

Together the Programme will provide immediate relief to support people sleeping rough this winter, as well as a targeted accommodation-led programme to support people who have spent the longest on our streets, including those who have not been able to engage with the support they need and who have often been failed by previous interventions. This, alongside existing work being done at a local level, will create sustainable, joined up pathways away from rough sleeping.

The immediate priority is to move as many people as possible off the street and into accommodation before Christmas this year (2026). Local areas will begin developing and delivering settled accommodation as soon as possible, alongside delivering off the street support and accommodation this winter. These offers should prioritise people sleeping rough who do not currently have an alternative route off the streets, while targeting settled accommodation and intensive support at those with the most severe and long-term experiences of rough sleeping.

Not everyone supported through the ‘routes off the street’ accommodation offer will require or be eligible for the longer-term settled accommodation offer. Local areas should therefore consider move-on and onward support arrangements from the outset to ensure off the street accommodation remains available for people new to sleeping rough and to avoid creating unnecessary pressure on temporary accommodation.

Accommodation offers could include enhancing existing provision or bringing forward new options to create a pipeline of long-term homes for people with the highest levels of need. Building on the Housing First model, we will provide funding for flexible, wraparound support to sit alongside the housing offer, that helps people experiencing long-term rough sleeping prepare for life off the streets, access the support they need, and sustain their accommodation to make sure they do not return to rough sleeping.

Local areas should begin mobilisation as soon as allocations are confirmed, including engagement with delivery partners, accommodation providers and local support services.

1.2 Funding for the programme

Payments for the 2026 to 2027 funding will be made by October this year. Payments for 2027 to 2028 onwards, including capital funding for acquisition of settled accommodation, will follow.

This landmark investment adds to that already committed via ‘A National Plan to End Homelessness’, bringing total investment to over £4 billion over the next 3 years. While this new investment will accelerate the ambitions set out in that plan, it remains part of the strategic, system level approach implemented by that plan to end homelessness and rough sleeping.

We are clear that in order to end rough sleeping, both central and local government, and their partners, must continue the work already in motion to break the cycle of homelessness and move towards a more preventative system.

The Programme will provide £442 million of funding over 3 years to Mayoral Strategic Authorities and local authorities, comprising:

£255.5 million in revenue funding for the ‘routes off the street’ provision and both immediate and ongoing wraparound support
£178 million in capital funding for the settled accommodation programme
£8.4 million additional funding for the Ending Homelessness in Communities Fund (which sits outside of this programme)

Local areas should use the funding flexibly to respond to local needs and priorities, while ensuring that expenditure remains aligned with the programme’s objectives and grant conditions. The Programme is not intended to fund general temporary accommodation supply, unsupported general needs housing, or activity that simply displaces existing rough sleeping support. Delivery must be additional to existing provision and targeted at the programme’s intended cohort.

Funding beyond 2028 to 2029 will be considered at the next Spending Review.

1.3 Purpose of the programme

In summary, the new national rough sleeping programme will:

Provide rapid support and accommodation options for people sleeping rough or at immediate risk of rough sleeping, moving as many people as possible off the streets and into accommodation before Christmas this year (2026).
Deliver targeted wraparound support that supports people experiencing long-term rough sleeping and the most complex needs to move off the streets and sustain their accommodation.
Strengthen local systems to prevent and resolve rough sleeping.
Increase the supply of suitable, stable accommodation with dedicated support for people experiencing long-term rough sleeping, to reduce repeat and persistent rough sleeping over time.
Strengthen local pathways into long-term accommodation, reducing repeat and persistent rough sleeping over time.

Supporting people who are experiencing rough sleeping will require different approaches based on an assessment of individual needs. While some people will be seeking support in the context of an immediate housing crisis, others will have experienced long-term rough sleeping and may be far from engaging with the support available to them. Reaching and supporting both groups will be essential to reducing rough sleeping and preventing future harm.

Access to support through the Programme should be based on individual need and risk, rather than requiring people to verify or demonstrate rough sleeping. Verification should not be the gateway to better provision, and prevention and early intervention should be prioritised wherever possible.

Local areas should ensure that approaches to assessment and referral do not create incentives for people to sleep rough in order to access accommodation or support. Where people are at imminent risk of rough sleeping, areas should intervene early and use the Programme to prevent rough sleeping from occurring wherever possible. Support provided through the Programme should be tailored to individual circumstances and may include accommodation where this is the most appropriate response, but access to support should not be dependent on accommodation need alone.

The Programme is intended to support people experiencing rough sleeping. People experiencing rough sleeping may have differing entitlements to housing and support depending on their individual circumstances, including their immigration status and eligibility for public funds.

Nothing in this guidance alters existing legal duties, powers or restrictions. Local authorities should deliver the programme in accordance with their own legal assessment and available powers, taking account of relevant homelessness, social care, public health and immigration legislation. Where a person is not eligible for assistance under the statutory homelessness framework, local authorities should consider what support may be available under their other powers and duties, having regard to their own legal advice.

In cases where eligibility to public funds is unknown, local authorities should work with relevant partners, including the Homelessness Escalation Service and the Home Office’s No Recourse to Public Funds Connect Service, to provide coordinated case management and access to high-quality immigration advice.

‘Routes off the street’ provision

Under the ‘routes off the street’ provision, local areas will be expected to deliver:

safe, good-quality accommodation and support for people experiencing rough sleeping
tailored support to help people move away from rough sleeping and address their individual needs, providing tailored responses through appropriate risk assessment of those needs
clear pathways into settled accommodation
earlier intervention to prevent rough sleeping so people can remain in their homes

Settled accommodation offer

Under the settled accommodation offer, local areas will be expected to deliver:

additional, settled homes for people experiencing long-term rough sleeping, building on Housing First principles
intensive upfront support that people who have been sleeping rough long-term need to move away from the streets into safe, stable accommodation so people feel valued, connected and loved
ongoing support needed to help people sustain accommodation and engage with wider services
strengthened local support pathways and reduced reliance on repeated crisis intervention
a sustainable local accommodation and support system for people with the most complex needs

Question 2

2. Wider context

Accepted Answer

2.1 Prevention

A National Plan to End Homelessness is clear that prevention should be at the centre of the response to tackling homelessness and rough sleeping. The long term ambition is that homelessness is rare, brief and non-recurring, with services intervening early to prevent people experiencing rough sleeping wherever possible. To improve the system, it is necessary to move away from crisis responses and towards stopping homelessness before it occurs.

The new Rough Sleeping Programme supports this approach. While the Programme provides accommodation and support for people who are already sleeping rough, or at immediate risk of doing so, these interventions should be viewed as a last resort where prevention has not been possible. Local areas should work with partners across housing, health, criminal justice, social care and other public services to identify risks early and prevent homelessness before it occurs, including for people leaving institutions such as prisons and hospitals, and for young people leaving care.

Local areas should prioritise early intervention, tenancy sustainment, proactive identification of risk, support for people leaving institutions, and other measures that reduce the likelihood of rough sleeping. The Programme should be used not only to respond to rough sleeping, but to strengthen local systems that stop people reaching the streets in the first place.

Case study: First Steps from the Street - preventing and reducing rough sleeping in Liverpool

Liverpool has established a two-tiered approach to supporting individuals identified as sleeping rough. The First Steps from the Street provision is designed for people experiencing long-term rough sleeping and those with medium to high support needs. The Night Assessment Hub is aimed at individuals with low or no identified support needs.

This targeted approach has proven to be an effective intervention in preventing and reducing rough sleeping by ensuring that individuals receive accommodation and support that is proportionate to their assessed needs.

The service provides immediate access to safe emergency accommodation for individuals identified as sleeping rough, ensuring that no one is left without a place to stay overnight. A strong partnership between housing solutions, outreach services and accommodation providers ensures a coordinated and person-centred approach.

All individuals accommodated receive a comprehensive assessment, a homelessness decision in line with statutory requirements, and a tailored move-on plan based on their individual needs and circumstances.

2.2 Interaction with statutory duties

Local authorities should ensure they continue to meet their statutory duties and identify any relevant duties and powers they use when offering a route off the streets to any person sleeping rough. Local authorities may owe duties or use powers under the Housing Act 1996 to make an offer of accommodation as part of a live homelessness application. They may also consider other appropriate powers depending on need such as those available under the Care Act 2014.

Local authorities should exercise their discretion in relation to local connection, which should not be a barrier to people accessing support and accommodation. Local authorities should assess individuals’ support needs and provide access to support and suitable services, which may include accommodation, before considering local connection.

2.3 Alignment with strategies and programmes

The new Rough Sleeping Programme should form part of a coherent wider local homelessness and rough sleeping system, and complement delivery of A National Plan to End Homelessness.

Areas should ensure activity aligns with but does not duplicate or displace:

local homelessness and rough sleeping strategies
Action Plans
Local Outcomes Frameworks
local health system plans and existing accommodation, support and prevention pathways

Local areas should align work on other rough sleeping and homelessness programmes, and also with wider initiatives supporting people experiencing multiple disadvantage, violence against women and girls, or leaving institutions.

Areas should work flexibly across these programmes in order to maximise positive outcomes. Local areas should be taking steps to prevent homelessness, and avoid the need for rough sleeping wherever possible, using existing Homelessness, Rough Sleeping and Domestic Abuse grant funding provided through the Local Government Finance Settlement.

For example, housing authorities should be working closely with specialist domestic abuse services and tier one local authorities (who hold domestic abuse statutory duties) to deliver sanctuary schemes and other measures to help victims of abuse stay safely at home, wherever possible.

MHCLG will be publishing a toolkit to support councils with prevention of homelessness due to domestic abuse.

2.4 Multi-agency working

People experiencing rough sleeping, or who are at risk of doing so, and those experiencing long-term rough sleeping are likely to have significant co-occurring needs or multiple disadvantage, and may not be able to ask for the support they need. For these people, mainstream services often fail to adequately respond to their needs, leaving them trapped in a cycle of rough sleeping and dependence on reactive crisis services.

Many people experiencing long-term rough sleeping will have unmet mental health needs, substance use needs, cognitive impairment, trauma-related needs, care and support needs, or safeguarding risks that have not been adequately identified or responded to. Local areas should use this Programme to improve the way these needs are recognised and addressed, including by identifying gaps in access to mental health assessment, adult social care assessment, safeguarding responses and ongoing care and support.

In order to improve outcomes for people experiencing rough sleeping, services need to work collaboratively and as part of an integrated local offer to address the whole range of challenges the person is experiencing, delivering support which is empowering, intensive, and responds flexibly to their individual needs. Integrated working should mean shared assessments, coordinated case management, joint planning and clear accountability for outcomes, rather than a set of separate referrals. Multi-agency working is also important in identifying and engaging people who may be less likely to be identified through traditional street outreach approaches.

Housing and homelessness services should work with NHS bodies and providers, adult social care, substance misuse services, the Prison and Probation Service, asylum accommodation providers, police, domestic abuse and sexual violence services, safeguarding partners, registered providers and the voluntary and community sector. Strong relationships with the local voluntary sector will be crucial to success.

Agencies should work together across the local system to achieve:

effective relationships between partners, and processes to support them, including in how people are identified and referred within services
shared access to data, enabling a clear view of individuals’ strengths and support needs, and informing strategic commissioning and service design
joined-up governance with shared objectives and accountability for outcomes
operational multidisciplinary working, joint assessment and a single coordinated support plan
co-location or regular in-reach from drug and alcohol treatment and wider health services, and agreed arrangements for resolving barriers quickly when people fall between services
health partners playing a central role in multidisciplinary working with people experiencing rough sleeping, including assessment, care planning and delivery of support
aligned or joint commissioning and, where appropriate, pooled or coordinated budgets
proactive transition planning before prison release, hospital discharge, exit from asylum accommodation or exit from temporary and specialist accommodation, with accommodation and continuity of support confirmed in advance

For further information on effective joined up working, local areas may wish to refer to chapter 4 of the evaluation of the Changing Futures programme on ‘joining up services and addressing gaps in support’.

Case Study: Islington support for prison leavers

Islington Council work collaboratively with probation colleagues with an emphasis on co-location and co-production.

Part of their offer includes a Housing First officer employed by the council whose role includes meeting individuals released at the gate to take a person to accommodation provided by the council and help navigate other public services (such as medical and Jobcentre appointments).

In addition, quarterly meetings between senior housing and probation staff allow any issues to be identified, owned, and addressed. Islington also have a dedicated Women in Prison Officer for those released from Bronzefield, ensuring no one leaves prison to a house to suffer domestic abuse.

Case Study: Approach in Derby (MyPlace)

Derby City Mission are granted funded by Derby Homes to provide private rented sector (PRS) accommodation through willing pre-identified landlords and on-going caseworker support to people who have interacted with the Criminal Justice System in the last 12 months.

While originally funded through the Accommodation for Ex-Offenders Programme, it continues to be delivered. Good relationships between probation and homelessness teams means most people are identified for the project pre-release.

Once referred, Derby City Mission both meet with the individual to understand their needs, and with multi-agency partners to ensure a good understanding of the individual. Individuals then receive case support focused on their needs while in PRS accommodation (such as attending appointments, building digital skills), with the intention to enable people to sustain tenancies.

Question 3

3. Support offer across the programme

Accepted Answer

3.1 Designing support offers

The Programme is designed to provide more than just accommodation. Support is fundamental to helping people off the streets and to help them remain safe and achieve a sustainable housing outcome. People supported through the Programme should receive person-centred, trauma-informed support alongside accommodation, regardless of whether they are receiving interim accommodation or a settled accommodation offer.

Local areas have flexibility to design a support offer that reflects local needs and realities but should ensure that their approach is inclusive and responsive to the differing ways protected characteristics shape people’s needs. It should be recognised that progress is often non-linear and may involve multiple attempts before accommodation can be sustained.

When designing a support offer, areas should follow the existing NICE guideline on providing integrated health and social care for people experiencing homelessness. Areas should undertake homelessness health needs assessments to build a clear understanding of local health needs and inform the design and delivery of appropriate health support.

The Programme is intended to operate as a continuum of support. Most people accessing the ‘routes off the street’ offer will require practical support to help them off the streets, address immediate needs and move towards a housing outcome. Some people, particularly those with complex and multiple needs or a history of repeat homelessness, will require more intensive and longer-term support to sustain settled accommodation and recover from homelessness. Local areas should assess need and tailor the level of support accordingly. Where individuals move from interim accommodation to settled accommodation through the programme, areas should ensure continuity of support and avoid disruptions to relationships, case management or service provision. The journey from off the street accommodation to more settled housing should be as seamless as possible.

Certain groups face unique challenges in accessing or accepting support. Areas should consider the specific needs of people who may be at higher risk of rough sleeping; this may include:

prison leavers (particularly prolific offenders who have experienced repeat cycles in and out of the criminal justice system)
people leaving hospital, who may have additional health support needs^{[footnote 2]} ^{[footnote 3]}
young people, including those who have recently left the care system

Women experiencing rough sleeping are often less visible and may be at greater risk of violence, abuse and exploitation. Local areas should not rely on outreach to identify women who may need support, and instead work proactively with specialist women’s services, domestic abuse and violence against women and girls services, health partners and community organisations to identify and support women who may be sleeping rough or at risk of doing so.

Support should be trauma-informed, centred on safety and designed around individual needs. Areas should consider how accommodation (including single-sex accommodation with specialist, intensive, trauma-informed support), support and outreach can be delivered in ways that help women feel safe and access help early, including through links with specialist services where appropriate.

LGBT+ people may also face particular barriers to accessing rough sleeping services, including concerns about discrimination, previous negative experiences of services, family rejection, or not feeling safe in accommodation settings. Local areas should work with relevant community organisations and specialist services to identify and engage LGBT+ people who may be sleeping rough or at risk of rough sleeping. When commissioning support, local areas should consider how they will ensure people can access appropriate support that is safe and ensures LGBT+ people are treated with dignity and respect.

3.2 Support expected across all provision

Local areas should consider providing relevant support to each person supported through the Programme, including services such as:

an assessment of needs, strengths and risks which recognises experiences such as abuse, exploitation, family breakdown, bereavement, care experience and discrimination and which brings services together, and works flexibly based on the person’s priorities and needs
a named contact, lead worker or support worker, providing a consistent and trusted relationship over time where possible, coordinating continuity across services, accommodation and key transitions
access to ongoing mental health support, and a referral to specialist mental health services where appropriate. Areas should identify gaps in local mental health provision for people sleeping rough, including access to specialist support and services for people with co-occurring mental health and substance use needs
access to treatment and ongoing support into drug and alcohol services where appropriate, including engagement with relevant existing programmes, such as the Rough Sleeping Drug and Alcohol Treatment programme
access to adult social care assessment and appropriate safeguarding support where people may have eligible care and support needs, including needs and risks linked to physical disability, frailty, cognitive impairment, acquired brain injury, self-neglect, safeguarding risks or difficulties with daily living
support with welfare benefits, budgeting and income maximisation, identification documents and other practical barriers, daily living skills (such as inclusion and navigating services), employment and training support, navigating services, and helping people build sustainable, independent lives. This could include provision of small flexible or personal budgets that remove practical barriers to engagement, safety, accommodation and recovery
links to mainstream housing options and homelessness prevention services where appropriate
support with reconnection, family mediation or move-on planning where this is in the person’s best interests
support relating to offending and anti-social behaviour for those sentenced in the community
tenancy sustainment and long-term housing support where needed: helping people prepare for accommodation, settle successfully into their home, maintain their tenancy, manage relationships with landlords and neighbours, prevent eviction, and progress towards greater independence where appropriate

Local areas should design support around individual need, drawing on outreach intelligence and working closely with homelessness, health, substance use, children’s and adult social care, criminal justice and voluntary sector partners to provide an integrated offer. Local areas should map existing services for people sleeping rough with other relevant local commissioning teams, including public health, and ensure any new services add capacity and do not duplicate support. Services should be co-located or provided through regular in-reach wherever possible, ensuring people can easily access support and do not have to navigate multiple services alone.

Local areas should take a flexible approach so that people who are not visible through traditional verification routes, including people walking through the night or staying in unsafe transient settings, are not excluded from support. Verification status should not be a barrier to receiving assistance. Local authorities should use the Ending Rough Sleeping Risk Assessment Tool (ERSRAT), alongside local intelligence and outreach activity, to target support towards those at greatest risk of harm or long-term rough sleeping.

Question 4

4. ‘Routes off the street’ provision

Accepted Answer

4.1 Who should be helped

The ‘routes off the street’ provision is targeted at people experiencing rough sleeping, or at imminent risk of rough sleeping. Offers of support and/or accommodation should be based on individual needs assessment rather than verification status or local connection, which should not be a barrier to accessing the service. Local areas will be given flexibility in designing what this offer should look like, considering the needs of people sleeping rough in their areas and the relevant statutory powers available to local areas to make available accommodation.

Local areas should recognise that not everyone experiencing rough sleeping will be visible through traditional outreach practices or seen bedding down at night. Some people, including women, young people and LGBT+ people, may take steps to avoid being visible because of risks to their safety, including by walking through the night, sleeping on public transport, sheltering in public buildings, or staying in other unsafe or transient settings. Local areas should ensure that the Programme is supported by proactive identification and engagement approaches, so that people are not left hidden from support until their needs become more entrenched.

The ‘routes off the street’ provision must go alongside prevention and support services - which should be easily accessible and based in the community - to avoid creating perverse incentives for people to sleep rough. Local areas must continue to offer support to people to whom they owe a prevention or relief duty, to stay in existing accommodation or access a suitable alternative. Local areas should ensure that this programme sits alongside prevention strategies so that homelessness is prevented wherever possible.

4.2 What types of accommodation should be delivered

Local areas should ensure that accommodation provided through the programme is suitable, safe and appropriate to an individual’s needs, circumstances and support requirements. The ‘routes off the street’ provision will fund accommodation and support to bring people in off the streets. Local areas will have flexibility to design what this should look like and should consider how existing accommodation and support provision can be mobilised to meet this need, including the repurposing of void properties, low-demand or recently decommissioned supported housing units, and creating capacity in existing units through rapid move-on arrangements for residents who are ready to live more independently.

Areas should also consider whether existing commissioned support can be enhanced to meet the needs of people accessing the Programme. A range of accommodation types may be appropriate, and offers should be tailored to local housing pathways, availability and individual needs.

Local authorities should prioritise access to options based on individual needs and risk of long-term rough sleeping, using a tool such as the ERSRAT and tailor offers to support needs.

Accommodation types may include:

rooms in shared flats/houses
short term accommodation in self-contained flats or houses
assessment spaces
supported lodgings
B&B accommodation
dormitory-style accommodation in hostels or night shelters
warm spaces for short-term refuge, and sit-up accommodation as an emergency short-term measure

Whilst local areas may use a range of accommodation types, consideration should be given to what is most appropriate for the individual, supports engagement with services, and enables recovery. Small-scale provision within a static venue, with low occupancy and sufficient privacy, should be prioritised wherever possible. Dormitory-style accommodation may be suitable as a short-term emergency response but is not suitable in the longer term and is unlikely to be appropriate for individuals with more complex needs.

Local areas should ensure there is suitable and appropriate accommodation for women sleeping rough, including the need for self-contained or single sex accommodation, alongside specialist, intensive and trauma informed support. This also applies to those who have been victims of domestic abuse and sexual violence. This could include programmes similar to the Respite Rooms pilots, which show that single-sex accommodation with specialist, intensive, trauma-informed support can make a real difference in breaking the cycle.

[Staff member] collected me from the [local hostel]. She came after hours, just to get me. Some people would be like, it’s after 5pm, bye, but not her. She carried my suitcase. There are nice people in the world.

Respite Rooms Service user

Local areas should consider the number of women sleeping rough in an area and how their specialist needs can be met, in the context of the wider local Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) strategy, and working with local domestic abuse and VAWG specialist services.

Case Study: Coventry’s Assessment Beds - creating the space to move on from rough sleeping

Coventry has developed a flexible accommodation pathway designed to provide people who are rough sleeping with an immediate opportunity to come off the street and begin working towards a more sustainable housing solution. At the first stage of this pathway are 5 dedicated assessment beds, provided via the Salvation Army.

People identified as rough sleeping can be referred into an assessment bed at very short notice. The process is deliberately straightforward, with the Rough Sleeping Outreach Team completing the necessary risk assessment and referral information and working directly with the provider to facilitate a same day move. The beds are intended to provide a very short-term stay, giving individuals the opportunity to sleep safely, and begin to consider their options away from the immediate pressures of rough sleeping.

This short period of stability is an important part of the approach. Experience has shown that people are often better able to engage with workers, understand their options and make decisions about their future once they have had an opportunity to step away from the immediate crisis of sleeping on the street. The assessment beds therefore act as a bridge between rough sleeping and the next stage of support. From the assessment beds, people can move into longer-term accommodation where appropriate

The pathway is not intended to be linear or one-size-fits-all. Instead, it provides a flexible range of accommodation options that can be matched to an individual’s needs, with the assessment beds providing a crucial first opportunity to create stability, build engagement and start the journey away from rough sleeping.

Question 5

5. Settled accommodation

Accepted Answer

5.1 Who should be helped

For those experiencing long-term rough sleeping, those with repeated or persistent experience of sleeping rough and people with complex needs, additional support and accommodation may be needed to enable them to access or sustain settled accommodation. We are providing additional funding to enable local areas to provide new settled accommodation with support, meeting needs in their area and targeted primarily at those who have experienced long-term rough sleeping.

Local areas will be expected to identify people they intend to support, drawing on local rough sleeping data, outreach intelligence and partnership knowledge. It is likely that many of the people identified for support may already form part of an area’s Target Priority Group^{[footnote 4]}.

The accommodation offer should focus on those for whom ordinary affordable housing, generic temporary accommodation or existing pathway provision is unlikely to be sufficient without dedicated support.

5.2 What the funding can be used for

We are providing £178 million of capital funding in 2027 to 2028 and 2028 to 2029 to support the acquisition of additional accommodation, which will be utilised alongside the wider £255.5 million revenue funding for support to provide sustainable, long-term accommodation with support for people experiencing long-term rough sleeping.

The immediate priority for revenue funding in 2026 to 2027 is to move as many people as possible off the street and into accommodation before Christmas 2026.

Capital funding

Capital funding should be used to deliver additional accommodation suitable for people long-term rough sleeping. Accommodation must be delivered ready for occupation within the programme and funding allocation timelines. Local areas will have flexibility to use routes that best suit their local need.

Eligible routes may include:

acquisition of existing homes
repair of homes, including bringing empty/void properties back into use
refurbishment/conversion of existing buildings
limited new build where deliverable within programme timescales
registered provider-led schemes
leasing models (minimum length of 10 years) where these meet programme objectives
social investment or partnership models where these deliver additional accommodation

Capital funding should support the delivery of additional homes or the re-purposing of other vacant accommodation, including where significant enhancements or re-design of existing services would enable them to meet the needs of those sleeping rough long-term and would not disadvantage other vulnerable groups. Local areas should not use the programme simply to re-badge existing provision, replace existing commitments, or move existing supported housing supply away from other high-need cohorts without agreement from MHCLG.

Mayoral Strategic Authorities, local authorities or Private Registered Providers should acquire properties in their own region or area. Where there is a genuine need to acquire properties in another Mayoral Strategic Authority’s region or local authority’s area, the authority should seek advance agreement of the other authority.

The accommodation-led part of the programme assumes an average capital grant rate based on the acquisition price of self-contained one bed units delivered as social rent, with a contribution from local authorities, Mayoral Strategic Authorities or delivery partners based on the rental income. This is intended to make schemes deliverable while requiring a meaningful local contribution to preserve value for money.

The final grant rate and treatment of local contribution will be confirmed through the funding allocation and funding for years 2 and 3 will be subject to a validation process. Local areas should identify how they intend to fund the remaining cost of acquisition, refurbishment, conversion, development or other eligible delivery routes.

Tenure and Rent Setting

It is expected that accommodation delivered with capital funding in this programme will create social housing outputs where a Mayoral Strategic Authority, local authority or Private Registered Provider delivers the accommodation. As such they should use tenures consistent with the Rent Standard and Tenancy Standard that meet the needs of the client group.

If a non-regulated provider in the Charitable or Voluntary sector is commissioned to provide accommodation with capital funding in this Programme, they should apply the principles of the Rent Standard and Tenancy Standard in delivering that accommodation. Further clarification on acceptable forms of tenure can be found in the following guidance.

It is expected that accommodation delivered with capital funding in this Programme will be charged at social rent levels with appropriate service charges in line with the principles of the rent standard.

Revenue funding

Revenue funding will support the services needed to help people move into and sustain accommodation, as well as short term accommodation costs and associated services. This includes support services linked to accommodation as well as wrap around support that is not accommodation specific. For detail on the services and support that should be provided, please see section 3 above.

Revenue funding should not duplicate existing support costs already funded through other programmes, unless this is explicitly agreed as part of the delivery plan. Local areas should set out how the proposed revenue funding will complement existing rough sleeping, homelessness, health, substance misuse, domestic abuse, criminal justice and adult social care provision.

5.3 What types of accommodation should be delivered

Accommodation delivered should be suitable for people who have experienced long-term rough sleeping and may have complex needs and provided over the long-term. Local areas can choose to deliver this accommodation directly, or in partnership with Private Registered Providers or other suitable partners in the voluntary and community sector.

Local areas will have flexibility to design accommodation routes in line with need in their area, but this may include:

supported housing
Housing First or Housing First-informed provision
housing-led dispersed accommodation
self-contained homes with floating support
small-scale shared or congregate provision where appropriate for the target cohort
specialist accommodation for people with particular support, safety or safeguarding needs

Supported housing, Housing First and housing-led schemes are in scope for people with long histories of rough sleeping or complex needs. Accommodation should be designed and commissioned with safety, dignity, accessibility and inclusivity in mind. Local areas should consider a range of accommodation options to ensure provision is responsive to the needs of the intended cohort. This should include considering whether individuals may be at increased risk of harassment, abuse, exploitation or re-traumatisation in particular settings, whether accommodation with shared facilities is appropriate, and whether there is a need for specialist or single-sex accommodation.

Local areas should consider how accommodation options can meet the needs of different groups, including women who have experienced violence or abuse, young people, care leavers, LGBT+ people and disabled people, taking account of individual circumstances and safety concerns.

Accommodation delivered under this programme should avoid creating another form of default long-stay temporary accommodation. MHCLG will be seeking assurances on how nominations, support, move-on and review arrangements will ensure that units remain targeted at the intended cohort and form part of a wider pathway away from rough sleeping.

Case Study: Housing First Greater Manchester

Tammy was referred to the Housing First service in Greater Manchester whilst living in supported housing but remained reluctant to engage with her support workers. She moved on from this placement into her own housing association tenancy, before abandoning the property and returning to rough sleeping with her partner.

There were serious concerns for Tammy’s safety due to a history of physical abuse and self-harming along with previous misdiagnosis of her mental health needs and history of class A drug use. Tammy refused multiple offers of accommodation and continued to sleep rough, despite becoming pregnant, and was reluctant to engage with the Housing First Support worker due to her lack of trust in services. Following arrest and being remanded to prison, Tammy then began to build a relationship with the Housing First worker who visited regularly. She then began to work with drug treatment and mental health services, which resulted in a diagnosis of PTSD from childhood trauma, which was then treated.

While in prison Tammy was supported to establish letterbox contact with her 2 children, who were both removed at birth, she voluntarily engaged with agency professionals to develop a plan for her future, which included signing a Housing First tenancy which was available upon release. Tammy’s support worker continues to work with her and will help her transition into her new home and to move forwards. Tammy also completed a work programme whilst in prison which led to job offer upon release. The period from initial referral into her Housing First home was 5 years, demonstrating the quality and consistency of support, and accommodation, required for individuals like Tammy to rebuild their lives.

Tammy’s story demonstrates why people experiencing long-term rough sleeping need more than just a roof over their heads. Greater Manchester is taking the learning from Housing First to develop an Enhanced Live Well offer as part of its wider response to multiple disadvantage. While programmes such as Housing First have shown what works, the ambition is to move beyond individual programmes and create a permanent, neighbourhood-based system of support. Enhanced Live Well applies the lessons of Housing First across the wider system, providing consistent, relationship-based support that helps people navigate housing, health, employment, justice and community services through a single, joined-up approach. This means embedding a multidisciplinary team of housing, health, social care and other professionals to tackle the root causes of long-term rough sleeping and multiple disadvantage and take a holistic, problem-solving approach to addressing the issues that individuals are facing.

Question 6

6. Allocations and monitoring

Accepted Answer

6.1 Allocation approach

Funding will be allocated to areas with the greatest rough sleeping pressures in England, either through Mayoral Strategic Authorities or directly to local authorities.

Allocations going directly to local authorities for ‘routes off the street’ provision in 2026 to 2027

Allocations for the ‘routes off the street’ provision in 2026 to 2027 have been determined using the Single Homelessness and Rough Sleeping formula^{[footnote 5]}, with a minimum allocation for local authorities with at least 2 people based on 12 month average rough sleeping data across the month.

This is intended to ensure funding reaches areas with the highest levels of need, while allowing areas with smaller but persistent rough sleeping pressures to provide an immediate route off the street.

Areas with fewer numbers should draw on existing funding to support people experiencing rough sleeping in their area. Allocations will be subject to local confirmation that the funding can be used in line with programme requirements.

Allocations going to Mayoral Strategic Authorities in 2026 to 2027

Allocations going to Mayoral Strategic Authorities in 2026 to 2027 will be for those Mayoral Strategic Authorities to determine how to manage the funding across their area and in partnership with local authorities. There is no expectation that Mayoral Strategic Authorities adopt the methodology applied nationally.

6.2 Allocations for settled accommodation and support

Allocations for settled accommodation and support have been determined by looking at both overall rough sleeping pressures and long-term rough sleeping need, so that funding is focused on areas where additional settled accommodation and intensive support can have the greatest impact.

Initial allocations to local areas will be subject to local confirmation and submission of a delivery plan to MHCLG.

Local areas will be asked to confirm whether they can deliver against programme requirements, the scale of their proposed delivery, the delivery routes they intend to use, and the support model they will put in place.

6.3 Funding mechanism

Funding in 2026 to 2027 will be paid as a separate ringfenced grant to local authorities. For local authorities, this is expected to be paid through a Section 31 grant. The mechanism for funding Mayoral Strategic Authorities will be confirmed before funding is issued, taking account of wider devolution and Integrated Settlement arrangements.

Funding allocations for 2027 to 2028 and 2028 to 2029 are provisional. MHCLG may reduce or withhold future payments if 2026 to 2027 funding is not used in support of these programme objectives and progress towards ending rough sleeping.

6.4 Payment process

Funding for local authorities will be provided in accordance with Section 31 grant conditions. As this funding is ringfenced, any unspent allocation, or funding not used to deliver the agreed requirements, may be subject to clawback. Where funding is going to a local authority, further details will be set out in a grant determination letter.

6.5 Monitoring outputs and outcomes

Monitoring arrangements will be aligned to the aims of the Programme, focusing on delivery of additional accommodation and support and progress towards reducing rough sleeping.

In the first year, monitoring will use existing management information already provided to MHCLG, such as the Rough Sleeping Data Framework. MHCLG may also seek a limited amount of additional output data for a time-specific period to understand the impact of funding on the visibility and scale of rough sleeping.

Local areas should take into account the ambition set out by the Prime Minister to end rough sleeping and align plans for this funding with their published Action Plans and local authority targets. We expect ongoing engagement with MHCLG advisers to review delivery progress, emerging issues and early impacts.

For Years 2 and 3, we will introduce proportionate delivery and accountability arrangements to support monitoring of programme delivery, building on existing delivery planning requirements where possible.

Alongside this, outcome measures will be aligned to existing processes for both Mayoral Strategic Authorities and local authorities. As set out in the published National Plan to End Homelessness, government is introducing a strengthened performance and accountability framework for homelessness and rough sleeping for local areas. This includes driving performance against the Local Outcomes Framework for local authorities and as part of the Integrated Settlement and Functional Responsibilities for Mayoral Strategic Authorities.

This includes for:

Local authorities: Number of people sleeping rough on a single night and number of people sleeping rough over the month who are long-term rough sleeping.
Mayoral Strategic Authorities: For Mayoral Strategic Authorities with Integrated Settlements, we will measure this through the Integrated Settlement Outcomes Framework. We will work with these Mayoral Strategic Authorities to ensure the Integrated Settlement Outcomes Framework reflects the aims of the programme. For Mayoral Strategic Authorities without Integrated Settlements, we would expect Action Plans that are already in development to cover ambitions on rough sleeping and will set out any other outcome monitoring in due course as part of new grant funding conditions.

Local monitoring and evaluation should not only consider whether accommodation has been delivered and sustained, but whether local pathways are effective in identifying and engaging people sleeping rough who may otherwise have remained hidden from support. This should include learning on how outreach, partner referrals, specialist services and accommodation models are supporting women, young people, LGBT+ people and others who may face barriers to accessing rough sleeping services.

We will keep the approach to reporting proportionate and mindful of minimising the data collection burden on local areas as much as reasonably possible. Further information will be set out in September 2026.

Question 7

7. Next steps

Accepted Answer

Following publication of this guidance and table of allocations, MHCLG will issue indicative allocation letters and supporting documentation to eligible Mayoral Strategic Authorities and local authorities. Grant conditions and details of the monitoring and payments process will be issued by October 2026.