There is a significant and complex link between offending and homelessness. Some of the people we work with are trapped in a spiral of offending and reoffending, bouncing between the streets and a prison cell. Without the right support and financial help when they come out of prison, many ex-offenders find themselves turning back to crime to get by.

One in six prisoners report being homeless before they are taken into custody, and ex-prisoners who are homeless upon release are more likely to re-offend than those who have stable accommodation. A recent Ministry of Justice report showed that more than three-quarters of prisoners who reported being homeless before custody were reconvicted in the first year after release, compared with less than half of those who did not report being homeless before custody.

Three-fifths of prisoners believe that having a place to live is important in stopping them from reoffending in the future. Nearly two in five need help finding a place to live when they are released and of these, 84 per cent say they need a lot of help. That’s where we come in.

We give people the opportunity to break the cycle, working with them not only to find places to live, but to gain the skills and qualifications they need to work towards independence.

     

Read more about our work with offenders

      

Without help, I wouldn’t be in the position I am today. Maybe I’d be on the streets.

Junior spent 30 months in prison, and found himself homeless when he was released. With the help of his support worker, Paul, Junior is now in his own flat and is currently working towards a qualification in IT.

Read Junior's story