June 2026

Homelessness is rarely a single event. For many people, it is a cycle that can be incredibly difficult to break. Challenges such as insecure housing, mental and physical health needs, trauma, financial instability and limited access to support can reinforce one another, making it hard to move forward in a straight line. Without the right help at the right time, people can find themselves moving in and out of accommodation, or returning to rough sleeping, despite their best efforts to rebuild.

Breaking this cycle takes more than just a roof over someone’s head. It requires consistent, personalised support that adapts as people’s needs change, alongside strong partnerships between services and a community that stands behind them. When these elements come together, lasting change becomes possible.

Our Head of Operations, Niall Read, reflected that the number of people returning to rough sleeping after receiving accommodation support from Turning Tides has significantly reduced. Government data shows that just one person across our operating region returned to rough sleeping after being accommodated during this period – a powerful testament to the dedication of services across the whole region to prevent and reduce homelessness.

This is not by chance.

Across our services, we are seeing what works: responding early, working together, and walking alongside people as they begin to rebuild their lives. Below we have included these real-life stories from our frontline teams, whilst keeping the client’s identities hidden.

Meeting People Where They Are

One of our clients’ journeys reminds us that progress rarely follows a straight line.

After spending time in a Turning Tides’ low support ‘move-on’ accommodation, it became clear that the client needed more support. They were swiftly moved to one of our high support services which has round the clock support and access to more services. With the right environment and encouragement from the team, they were able to rebuild their confidence and took an active role in the house by regularly cooking for the other residents. From there, they successfully secured a housing association home and are now living independently.

This story challenges the idea that moving “forward” always means moving on as soon as possible. Sometimes, the most important step is recognising when someone needs a different kind of support and responding with care, flexibility and understanding. With the right support we can break the cycle of homelessness and help people to rebuild their lives long term.

Turning Crisis into Opportunity

At another service, staff supported a client through a highly complex and challenging situation involving substance use, health concerns and a safeguarding issue.

What could have been a breaking point became a turning point.

Recognising a crucial moment of opportunity, the team where able to strengthen the support being provided. Acting quicky, they worked alongside specialist colleagues in our Substance Misuse and Wellbeing team to help the client take the first steps towards recovery. The addition of specialist support resulted in a successful referral to residential rehabilitation to continue their journey.

It is in these moments, when things feel most fragile, that the strength of relationships and partnership working matters most. Together, teams were able to turn crisis into an opportunity for change.

Finding the Right Long-Term Path

For another client living with complex health needs, the right outcome looked different again.

Through sustained advocacy and close working between our teams, health professionals and social services, a pathway was secured into a long-term care setting that could meet their complex health needs. The expertise of our Housing First team played an important role in shaping this decision. Bringing their experience of what works in practice for people with multiple, complex needs living in the community, the teams’ input was vital in ensuring that the chosen support was both realistic and sustainable.

While it was not a simple or quick process, it was the right outcomes for our client.

It is a powerful reminder that success is not always about independence in the traditional sense. Sometimes, it is about ensuring that someone has the care, safety and dignity they need to live as well as possible.

Creating More Secure Routes Out of Homelessness

Elsewhere, another Turning Tides team supported a client as they took meaningful steps towards independence through the private rented sector.

With tailored support to build confidence, develop budgeting skills, and access funding for a deposit and rent in advance, this client was able to secure a home of their own. This marked a powerful turning point, not just a place to live, but a place to belong, and a strong foundation for their future.

Recent changes are helping to make the private rented sector more secure. The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 introduces stronger protections for tenants, including the removal of Section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions and greater safeguards against unfair rent increases. For our residents leaving homelessness through this pathway, it reduces the risk of sudden eviction or losing accommodation due to unaffordability giving our clients a better chance of sustaining a home long-term.

Working Together to Prevent Rough Sleeping

These stories show that there is no single route to prevent rough sleeping. Every journey is different. They also highlight the dedication, skill and experience of our frontline teams, whose support makes these journeys possible.

Our values are what shape the support we provide:

• By being Person Centred, we adapt to each person’s needs.
• We are Collaboration, working with our local partners to find the right solutions.
• Our teams are Ambitious, seeking outcomes that will create lasting change.
• We focus on being Compassionate, by building trust and understanding through respectful, human relationships.
• We hold ourselves Accountable, taking responsibility for delivering high-quality support and meaningful outcomes.

With your support, this approach is helping people not only find accommodation but keep it and ultimately avoid returning to rough sleeping.

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