Cymorth Cymru has published the latest Housing First statistics for Wales, demonstrating the scale and impact of this internationally acclaimed model in Wales.
Data collected from 17 Housing First projects between February 2018 and March 2023 shows that 792 people were supported by Housing First projects in Wales during this period, 380 people started Housing First tenancies and 91.5% were sustaining their tenancy.
Key statistics include:
- 17 Housing First projects are operating across 17 local authorities
- 792 people have been supported by Housing First projects since February 2018
- 380 people have started Housing First tenancies since February 2018
- 335 people were sustaining their Housing First tenancies as of 31st March 2023
- 91.5% tenancy sustainment rate across all Housing First projects in Wales
- 78 people were in temporary accommodation waiting for a Housing First tenancy on 31st March 2023
- 3 projects have achieved the Housing First Wales Accreditation
What is Housing First?
Housing First is a recovery-oriented approach to ending homelessness that focuses on quickly moving people experiencing homelessness into an independent and settled home, rather than requiring people to have lengthy stays in temporary accommodation and prove they are ‘housing ready’. Intensive, multi-agency support is provided with no pre-conditions or time-limits.
The model has traditionally been targeted at people who are sleeping rough or are very marginally housed, and who have chronic and complex support needs. It was developed in New York in the 1990s, primarily by community psychologist Sam Tsemberis, and has since been widely adopted across the USA and Europe. International evidence suggests that Housing First tends to achieve a tenancy sustainment rate of 80-90%.
