Homeless Prevention Fund 2025/6

Overview

Background

In line with the 2022-2027 Homelessness Strategy, Ending Homelessness Together, the following key priority areas and delivery approaches have been identified for this year’s Prevention fund:-

2022 – 2027 Homelessness Strategy prevention activities:

• Primary Prevention Activity – Universal policies and interventions for the population as a whole which will not only be related to housing. This will also include raising awareness to assist in the public’s understanding of the complex nature of homelessness to ensure households approaching crisis can access support.
• Secondary Prevention Activity - Identifying and targeting particular groups which are at the highest risk of homelessness to undertake pre-crisis intervention. This can take the form of advice and mediation services; proactive interventions and targeted services at known risk points.
• Tertiary Prevention Activity - Tackling recurring homelessness, including ensuring tenancy sustainment is central to preventing repeat homelessness.

Target Beneficiaries

The following priority groups have been identified as the main focus for this year’s Prevention fund: -

Priority Vulnerable Groups

• Young People leaving care
• Woman vulnerable to and experiencing chronic homelessness
• Individuals experiencing or having experienced domestic abuse
• Individuals being released from prison.

Applications for the above groups will receive priority, and furthermore, projects that seek to achieve Early intervention are particularly sought – i.e. those projects that demonstrate innovative approaches that are “upstream” of the point at which homelessness can occur and directed at those identified as potentially at risk of homeless.

Those projects found not to be sufficiently aligned with the defined prevention activities listed above will not be progressed for further assessment and those that are assessed to align closely with the priority groups and early intervention will be prioritised for funding.

What do they want to fund

The following types of delivery models have been identified as effective in previous years of the Prevention Fund: -

1. Intervention models - (either by mediation and/or counselling or through direct financial support);
2. Training models - (to empower and equip sector workers who have been identified as working with those at risk of homelessness);
3. Personal development models – (to provide a structured training programme to empower and equip participants who have been identified as at risk of homelessness) and;
4. Awareness Models - (which seek to raise awareness of the complex nature of homelessness and available support services among the general public, sector workers or individuals who have been identified as at risk of homelessness).
5. Social Enterprise model – (to improve communities, tackle social issues and provide access to employment and skills training for individuals identified as at risk of homelessness). These projects are separate from those funded through the Social Enterprise fund and can be viewed as complementary to these where the focus is on preventing vulnerable individuals becoming homeless.

Applications that utilise these models and innovative variations of these models are sought.

Funding Levels & Notes

The objective is to provide 2025/26 Homeless Prevention funding for up to a maximum of 7 months from 1st September, and costings are sought on this basis.

There is a £50k cap on the grant available per project.

Please note that the funding will be non-recurrent and must be spent by 31 March 2026. There may, subject to budget, be opportunities for the continuation of projects into 2026/27, which would also be contingent upon a subsequent reapplication process.

Funding awarded through this application process will have to be spent by the 31st March 2026.