New Briefing Explores How Housing First is Being Implemented Across the UK and Ireland.

April’s WISE in 5 is written by Andrew Sproul, a researcher at The Open University whose PhD explores the implementation of Housing First in Europe, focusing on Scotland and Finland through the lens of international policy comparisons. We were really pleased when Andrew got in touch to express his interest in contributing to the series with a comparative look at how governments across the UK and Ireland are approaching this model.

I first came across Housing First in 2018, when one of its founders, Sam Tsemberis (now named on TIME’s 2024 100 most influential people) spoke at a Shelter Cymru event. I was struck by both the simplicity of the idea and how radically it rethinks our response to homelessness. It offers more than just housing, it offers dignity, stability, and a holistic view of the individual, moving away from systems that can reduce people to a checklist of problems.

Housing First invites us to see people experiencing homelessness not as categories to be fixed, but as individuals to be supported - with housing as the starting point, not the reward. Andrew’s work offers a timely and thoughtful insight into how this transformative model is being adopted and adapted across the UK and Ireland.

Housing First: putting homes at the heart of tackling homelessness

Across the UK and Ireland, governments and organisations are rethinking how they respond to people sleeping on our streets – another Wise in 5 sets out some of the policies implemented across governments. Traditional approaches often require people to meet certain conditions, frequently addressing addiction or mental health needs, before they can access permanent housing. The Housing First model turns this approach on its head, by providing secure housing immediately and offering flexible, person-centred support to help people sustain their tenancies and rebuild their lives.

Housing First is based on the principle that housing is a basic human right. Originating in New York in the 1990s, it has been widely adopted internationally as an effective way to support people who are experiencing long-term or repeat homelessness, particularly those with complex needs.

The latest WISE in 5 briefing from PolicyWISE explores how Housing First is being implemented across the UK and Ireland. It shows that while the model is being applied differently across the nations, there is a shared recognition of its potential to deliver better outcomes.

Scotland has taken a leading role, with the government formally adopting Housing First as part of its ‘Ending Homelessness Together’ action plan and investing £50 million to support its delivery. This strong policy and funding commitment has helped scale up the model through local partnerships. In Ireland, Housing First is also embedded in national strategy, with a clear commitment to expanding its reach through collaboration between government, housing providers, and support services. Early results have been promising, showing reductions in rough sleeping and improved housing stability. Wales and Northern Ireland have seen more locally-driven approaches. In Wales, third-sector organisations such as The Wallich have pioneered Housing First projects, working closely with local authorities. While not yet part of a national strategy, the Welsh Government has shown increasing interest in scaling up Housing First in line with broader ambitions to end homelessness. Northern Ireland has developed several pilot schemes in cities like Belfast, focused on supporting people with complex needs. These have highlighted the importance of cross-sector collaboration and flexible support models that respond to individual circumstances.

In England, there is not currently national policy backing for Housing First, but some combined authorities and councils, including Greater Manchester and Liverpool City Regions, have trialled it through locally-funded pilots. These initiatives show encouraging results but often face challenges in scaling up due to funding and housing availability.

The PolicyWISE briefing highlights several key lessons: strong political commitment and investment are crucial for success; partnerships between statutory services, housing providers, and the voluntary sector are essential for delivery; and models need to be adapted to local contexts.

Housing First isn’t a silver bullet, but it offers a humane and effective alternative to managing homelessness. By prioritising secure housing as the first step, it gives people the stability they need to access health care, rebuild relationships, and plan for the future. With growing evidence of its success, Housing First is gaining traction as a central part of the solution to ending chronic homelessness across the UK and Ireland.

Catherine May