Growing numbers of people are leaving public institutions directly into homelessness, according to new research from national umbrella body Homeless Link, which also reveals a sharp rise in employed people seeking homelessness support.
The annual Support to End Homelessness report found 27% of accommodation providers supported more people leaving prison in 2025 than the previous year, while 24% supported more care leavers.
Nearly half of accommodation providers and 72% of day services also saw increases in refugees accessing support.
In a sign of deepening financial pressures on households, over a third of day services reported supporting more people who were in employment.
The findings come as the homelessness sector faces severe strain, with accommodation projects down 46% since 2008, and 71% of providers warning that financial pressures will negatively impact service delivery.
Homeless Link CEO Rick Henderson called for genuine cross-government accountability, warning that ‘opportunities to prevent homelessness are routinely missed.’
