Dover woman takes part in innovative homelessness trial
Sarah, who suffered with addiction issues, said: "I lost my kids a long time ago...Porchlight helped me get a place of my own and when I was awarded this money, I was able to kit it out. "I could choose what I wanted, I could make it feel like home. Getting the money has allowed me to do the final bits to my new home that mean I get to see them [my kids] and my grandkids more."This trial compared outcomes between people who have received typical homelessness support alongside financial assistance and those only given the standard assistance.Guillermo Rodríguez-Guzmán, director of evidence at the Centre for Homelessness Impact, said it was "really important" to have the evidence from the trial as he said the approach had been "controversial".It is the first time a series of trials on this scale has ever been carried out, with interim findings expected in the autumn and full results likely to be published in late 2026.
Porchlight's chief executive Tom Neumark said the trial could be significant for the future of homelessness support."Each person's journey into homelessness is different, so it makes sense to give them the means to rebuild their life in a way that works for them," he said."This trial allowed people to do that, and from what we can see it worked."This trial is part of a larger three-year programme commissioned by the MHCLG, which has allocated £15m to testing eight novel interventions for homelessness and rough sleeping.
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