Our policy work in Housing
Everyone deserves the right to have a safe and secure place to live. Our policy work in housing is informed by the needs of the people we support and the services that we deliver. We aim to provide solutions to prevent homelessness and ensure that vulnerable groups can both access and maintain accommodation.
Our Housing policy and research areas
We develop policy solutions in the following areas:
Having a safe and stable home is a key foundation when someone is building or rebuilding their life. Yet too many peoples’ lives continue to be blighted by homelessness, insecure housing, and periods of rough sleeping. We look at the barriers vulnerable people face that can lead to rough sleeping and homelessness and propose solutions aimed at removing these barriers.
We draw on our extensive experience as a supported housing provider to highlight the challenges and needs of people who require additional support to both access and stay in accommodation and address wider needs. Supported housing plays an important role helping people address their needs and move towards independent living. We develop policy proposals designed to remove the barriers that block pathways towards independence.
We face a housing crisis marked by unaffordable rents in the private rented sector and a shortage of housing supply – whether in the private or social sectors. For people already facing disadvantage and vulnerability, these challenges can leave them with few options. We draw on our front-line experience to develop policy solutions and advocate for these groups, to help create a system where no-one has to worry about having somewhere to live or remain in unsafe situations because they have nowhere else to go.
We seek to influence change at a local, regional, and national level, informed by the views and experiences of our service users and frontline staff.
Spotlight report: The intersection of the criminal justice system and homelessness (2024)
Our research identifying the challenges prison leavers face accessing stable housing and suitable support, commissioned by Commonweal Housing.
We found:
- Limited longer-term accommodation options.
- A shortage of supported housing for those with complex needs.
- Insufficient support for women.
Our Housing publications library
For our full library of publications for our work in housing, please see our publications library.
You will be able to review our reports, research, responses, and case studies, for all our work within the housing sector.
Collaborate with us on Housing policy and research
We drive through collaboration. We work with a wide range of organisations, in the public and private sector, who share our vision of ensuring everyone has somewhere safe and secure to call home and providing the support people need.
We actively look to partner with universities, research centres, charities, government departments and statutory bodies, local and national enterprises who can help us to drive change.
If you would like more information on how you can partner with us to support your research, or be part of making an impact through changing policy, email us at policy@nacro.org.uk.
Can't find what you are looking for?
You can search all of our publications in the publications library