How Housing First helps reduce anti-social behaviour and offending rates

With the new Crime and Policing Bill on the horizon, Alex Smith, Homeless Link’s Housing First England lead, discusses why the housing and homelessness sector should champion Housing First to help to break the cycle of homelessness and offending. 
 
The hard-fought repeal of the Vagrancy Act in 2022 signalled a move away from the out-of-date approach of criminalising rough sleeping and anti-social behaviour associated with homelessness. It’s important that the upcoming Crime and Policing Bill continues to make that progress. Falling into the trap of an enforcement approach will not work. It will do nothing to solve the root causes that are negatively impacting people and communities and goes against expert advice from homelessness organisations. 
 
We know homelessness and the criminal justice system are deeply connected. Experiencing homelessness can increase a person’s risk of offending, particularly when they are trying to fulfil basic needs or solve their housing problems by being taken into custody. Spending time in prison can also increase a person’s risk of homelessness upon release, along with the likelihood that they will reoffend, creating a revolving door effect. 

How can Housing First help break the cycle? 

In Housing First there is a solution. Over the past ten years, Housing First has been transformative for people experiencing complex disadvantage, addressing multiple support needs.  
 
Social landlords and homelessness organisations can champion Housing First, collaborating with other partners, such as those in the criminal justice, health, substance use and social care sectors, to break the cycles of rough sleeping, temporary accommodation, prison stays and hospital admissions. 
 
Research published earlier this year by  Homeless Link shows that Housing First works holistically, reducing resident’s offending and anti-social behaviour whilst substantially improving their physical and mental health.  
  
Beyond positive trends in tenancy sustainment, the survey revealed a clear reduction in antisocial and offending behaviours across the three years. It showed that 84% of people were involved in these behaviours on entry, compared to 45% by the end of the third year, with a sharp 24% decrease between the point of entry and the end of year one. 
 
There is also a clear reduction in the contact with the criminal justice system, with 71% of people having contact on entry, compared to 39% by the end of the third year. As above, the drop between the point of entry and the end of the first year is the largest. 

Tom’s story

The Bridge Project’s Housing First service, which has operated in Bradford since August 2018, excellently illustrates these findings. So far, its diligent Navigators have helped over 30 people with highly complex lives.

Tom (not his real name) had been rough sleeping, offending and disconnected from his family for a decade. He had spent 3 years in prison for burglary. He was referred to Housing First through the Complex Housing Needs Panel in 2020 and his life has since been totally transformed.

Bridge Navigators have helped Tom resolve his benefit issues and retain a tenancy for two years, including during a brief substance use relapse during Covid-19. His Navigator, Rob, visits daily, offering support around paying bills, attending appointments and on securing and maintaining treatment for his substance use issues. With this intense support, Tom has stopped offending entirely and has spent zero time in prison.

Thanks to the Housing First team, Tom has started to see his mother and nephew every month. His navigator says: “Tom has addressed a lot of his own needs and is now starting to reconnect with family, who will help reduce his reliance on the service and participate in a more fulfilling life.”

“[Housing First is] a compassionate, humane response to help a small group of people who’ve had incredibly difficult and challenging lives fulfil their potential and gain a level of dignity that most of us take for granted.”

- Jon Royle, Chief Executive of the Bridge Project.

Working together to change lives

Tom’s story highlights the profound impact stable housing and comprehensive support can have on a person’s life, whilst reducing criminal justice involvement. If we can get different sectors working together on Housing First, we can not only improve lives, but positively impact communities and experiences for both residents and landlords while taking the pressure off public, voluntary and community sector services.

This systems approach to supporting people with complex needs should be a priority, and we are asking the government to introduce a sustainably funded, national, cross-departmental Housing First programme. With this in place, we will be empowered to break the cycle of complex disadvantage and transform the lives of the estimated 16,450 people who need it in England.