Housing associations selected to deliver Housing First pilot in Manchester for two more years

The government is yet to announced any details about funding allocations for the other two pilots in the West Midlands and Liverpool City Region. 

Matt Harrison, chief executive of Great Places, said Greater Manchester will use the new funding “to help people on the programme to the end of their recovery journey” and get to a point “where they no longer need intensive support to help them sustain their tenancies and live happy, independent lives”.

It is understood that the funding will not be used to support any new individuals to join the programme. 

Emily Cole, programme lead at Greater Manchester Housing First, said the partnership looks forward “to being able to build on the great work we have done over the first three years, influence system change and continue to build a body of evidence that proves beyond all reasonable doubt that the model works and should be central to the government’s strategy to combat homelessness”.

Earlier this year the government said that more than 1,000 of the “most entrenched rough sleepers” have been supported as part of the Housing First pilots and promised to publish a comprehensive evaluation of the programmes next year. 

Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham said: “Housing First is an absolutely integral pillar of our comprehensive efforts to tackle rough sleeping and homelessness across our city region, so it’s great to see that the Greater Manchester Housing First partnership will be leading this vital work going forward.

“The government has recognised the success of our three-year pilot and the positive impact it has made to the lives of 330 people. Extending the programme means we can build on the success of this partnership model, continuing to offer good housing and wrap-around support that will help people get their lives back on track and get on.”