Housing First
Give people homes, then help them stay housed.
That’s the simple but powerful idea at the heart of Housing First — a major milestone in the mission to end homelessness.
People experiencing homelessness are typically moved into temporary hostels or B&Bs . These environments don’t provide the facilities or support people need to change their lives, or the dignity they deserve. So we founded and funded the Housing First Pathfinder to prove there was a better way. In 2018, this catalysed a Scotland-wide shift to “rapid rehousing” for people experiencing homelessness.
It starts with stability
When people have their own space — somewhere safe, dignified, and beautiful — a brighter future becomes possible.
Until recently, people experiencing homelessness in Scotland were expected to show they’re ready for a permanent home before being offered one. But living in temporary accommodation, feeling stigmatised, uncomfortable, and unsafe, makes it hard to take positive steps like staying sober and attending appointments. We knew countries like Finland had the opposite approach, and we wanted to make that difference for the people of Scotland too.
So, through the Housing First Pathfinder research carried out across Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee, Aberdeen, and Stirling, we set out to test that approach in Scotland. This showed that giving people their own permanent home first, coupled with tailored support, is a far more effective way to end homelessness. It proved that people once written off as “not tenancy ready” can thrive in the right environment, with the right support.
An independently-validated model
Housing First was originally trialled across five Scottish cities. Research confirmed its effectiveness.
We used £3 million raised from our Sleep in the Park events to fund the pilot. Heriot‑Watt University’s Institute for Social Policy, Housing and Equalities Research found the model highly effective at helping people with the sharpest experiences of homelessness to get and keep ordinary homes.
579
579 people with histories of homelessness were housed through the Pathfinder.
88%
88% people kept their tenancy over the first year, and 80% still lived there after two years.
4/5
Around four out of five people had been rough sleeping and/or in a hostel right before this.
A major step forward in restructuring how we respond to homelessness as a society.
Securing 800 homes
To make the Housing First Pathfinder viable, we needed around 800 one‑bed properties across Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Dundee, Stirling and surrounding areas.
Our founder, Josh Littlejohn, led the push to win pledges from housing associations and councils, including an early public commitment of 200 homes from Wheatley Group and a wider total of 600–800 social lets pledged by registered social landlords and local authorities. Appearing in the media and using his seat on the Scottish Government’s Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Action Group, Josh made a compelling case for change, and the positive impact for people experiencing homelessness in Scotland continues today.
The organisations driving the change
The Pathfinder was rolled out by a network of housing and support providers in five cities, coordinated by Glasgow Homeless Network (now Homeless Network Scotland) and selected with support from the Corra Foundation. Today, Housing First is a national programme owned and funded by the Scottish Government and delivered by local authorities, who are required to make rapid rehousing the default policy.
Is Social Bite still involved?
After the Housing First Pathfinder finished, we championed the expansion of the programme. We’ve also encouraged innovation within the Housing First framework, including more intensive support for people who might need it. Social Bite’s involvement in the direct delivery of the Housing First programme ended in March 2022 when local authorities took over. Housing First was a big step towards achieving our mission to end homelessness. Now we’re keen to see it rolled out across the UK.
How Social Bite Villages work alongside Housing First
Housing First is a permanent housing solution; Social Bite Villages are an alternative form of temporary accommodation. Homelessness is complex and different people experience it in different ways, so more than one solution is needed. Each innovation has a part to play in breaking the cycle of homelessness. The village concept came from conversations with people we worked with and people who used Social Bite’s free food service. They told us about the conditions in temporary accommodation, which can be appalling — cold and damp, without locks on doors or cooking facilities, and with strict rules, often including no pets. So we devised a deeply human alternative.