‘Ensure all prison leavers are housed’
We all know how important having a safe and secure home is. But for too many people leaving prison this has seemed an impossible dream for too long.
Around a thousand people are released from prison homeless every month, held back from accessing support, getting a job, or moving on in their lives and away from crime. And for people released homeless, the risk of committing another crime is significantly higher.
To reduce reoffending and give people the best chance at a second chance we need to do more. Funding was introduced during the pandemic to provide people leaving prison at risk of homelessness with emergency accommodation, and it is clear that this funding ensured that many people were kept safe, and had a roof over their heads during unprecedented times. The funding was available from 18th May to the end of August 2020, and then from October until early April 2021. But even when this funding was available, far too many people were still released from prison with nowhere to stay.
Homelessness for prison leavers isn’t inevitable. By removing the barriers and providing the right support we can give people the chance they need to create a better life for themselves and their families and to reduce reoffending. We need a Government commitment to ensuring that all prison leavers have somewhere to live when they are released, and that longer term solutions are available to provide suitable and secure move on accommodation to ensure we end the cycle of #CellStreetRepeat.
The first step is for the Government to guarantee that everyone leaving prison will have somewhere to live. It’s time to give people the best chance at a second chance.
#CellStreetRepeat #BreakTheCycle #ARoofForAll