New supported housing pathway ‘could save up to £5.4m in annual costs’

Active Opportunities Pathway: Social Impact Report is the first-year findings of an independent evaluation conducted by homelessness charity Homeless Link.

The evaluation examined The Housing Network’s Active Opportunities Pathway (AOP), a supported housing model that provides accommodation and tailored support for single people and families experiencing homelessness, housing instability and multiple disadvantage.

Designed to help people avoid crisis, rebuild stability and move towards independence, the model combines accommodation with structured support, prevention and progression planning.

The evaluation found that if support were withdrawn from the current cohort of 394 residents, public services could face additional costs of at least £3.51m per year. The report estimates this equates to an average annual public sector cost consequence of £8,910 per resident or household. Additional analysis suggests the annual figure could increase by a further £1.9m, bringing the total potential avoided cost to more than £5.4m.

Gary Teper, managing director at The Housing Network, said: “These findings provide evidence of the difference supported housing makes. When people are given safe accommodation alongside the right support, they are far more likely to rebuild their lives and avoid reaching crisis point.

“At a time when homelessness is reaching unprecedented levels, investment in prevention must be part of the solution. Recent figures show a record 4,793 people were sleeping rough on a single night in England, while 134,760 households were living in temporary accommodation in England. Supported housing delivers better outcomes for residents while reducing demand on already stretched public services.”

The report found that AOP provides a high-quality supported housing alternative to unsupported temporary accommodation, combining accommodation with structured support, crisis prevention and progression planning. The Housing Network’s estimated annual AOP support cost is approximately £5,405 per resident or household, compared with a modelled local authority temporary accommodation cost consequence of £21,320 per year.

The report also highlighted the impact of housing stability for families. Over a 12-month period, The Housing Network supported 207 families with 300 children through its family housing services.

The evaluation found that the stability and household-centred support provided through AOP can help reduce exposure to adverse childhood experiences and support longer-term stability. Draft analysis indicates that early intervention through the AOP model could mitigate up to £8.6m in lifetime costs linked to adverse childhood experiences.