Access to Accommodation Fund: Grants for Local Housing Solutions

We have made available up to £500k for smaller frontline organisations. Funding of up to £100k per organisation will be available which can be spent over a maximum of a three-year period. This funding is available for organisations with an annual turnover of less than £2 million per year. The deadline for applications is 5pm on 7th November.

St Martin-in-the-Fields Charity is committed to ensuring everyone has a safe place to call home and the support they need.  

This new funding programme has been designed in direct response to evidence and insights from organisations and frontline workers, who continually report that insufficient housing options for people experiencing homelessness is one of the biggest challenges for frontline workers and the people they support.

The Access to Accommodation Funding Programme 

Over the past eight years, we have undertaken an annual Frontline Worker Survey to identify and address gaps in support for people experiencing homelessness and the frontline workers that provide support. We have consistently heard that there is a need to improve access to accommodation for people experiencing homelessness.

In our 2024 Survey, 92% of frontline workers said that they found it difficult or very difficult to obtain ‘suitable’ housing for the people they are supporting. Frontline workers also told us that helping people to access accommodation is getting harder with 58% of workers reporting their ability to help people access appropriate accommodation had decreased (up from 42% in 2022).

In response to our call for insights on this issue, three quarters of respondents mentioned the need for more accommodation and the shortage of affordable housing was repeatedly cited. Strong themes were also identified around community, social integration and connection as foundations that are often missing for those experiencing homelessness. 

In response to the insights and feedback shared, our core focus will be smaller, locally embedded charities who work with people facing homelessness and have been struggling to access accommodation for those they are working with and so have been seeking to develop new options. The purpose of this new fund is to test projects and approaches that may have the opportunity for wider scale and impact whilst supporting organisations to create longer term options in the current housing crisis.

Alongside funding, we will convene peer networks to promote good practice and effective housing solutions that are rooted within communities across the sector as part of our wider influencing work. We will also ensure learning and evaluation is embedded within this programme, through an external learning partner, who will work with grant partners to capture the learning and evaluation from this programme. We are committed to reflecting on the learning that emerges to develop, share learning and shape future funding priorities.

We have made available up to £500k for smaller frontline organisations to fund projects that meet the aims outlined above. This funding is available for organisations with an annual turnover of less than £2 million per year.

We’re inviting applications from organisations to fund projects that:

• unlock or create housing solutions for people experiencing homelessness 
• are locally-led solutions, developed and delivered by an organisation that is embedded within their community and is integrated within local services. 
• are needs focussed, understanding the experiences of those facing homelessness and developing solutions that meet these needs.
• involve people with experience of homelessness in the review, design and/or delivery of the project.
• have the potential to create longer-term impact for both the organisation and/or local community.
• may have the scope to be replicated more widely across the sector to help inform best practice.  

Application Guidance and Form

To apply, fist please read our guidance, then apply using the application form. Once you have filled in the form, please send it to heather.sandover@stmartinscharity.org.uk before 5pm on 7th November.

The document includes: 

• An introduction to St Martin-in-the-Fields Charity 
• More information on the fund and criteria for applications 
• A timeline of the application process 
• The application form 

The deadline for applications is Friday 7th November 2025 at 5pm. 

Any questions can be directed to our Grants Manager, Heather Sandover at heather.sandover@stmartinscharity.org.uk  

FAQs

My organisation has a turnover of over £2 million per year, can we still apply?  

• We are specifically focussing on smaller organisations for this round of funding. To do this effectively we have chosen to include a cap on the financial turnover of organisations that can apply. If your organisations annual turnover is more than £2 million per year, you will be not eligible to apply.  

How is a smaller/grassroots charity defined?  

• We appreciate the challenges of defining what is meant by smaller and grassroots organisations. We are not adopting a specific definition but are including a cap on the financial turnover of organisations that can apply.  

How many years is the funding available?  

• Grants of up to £100,000 will be available per organisation. Whilst this is not multi-year funding, applicants can choose whether this is spent over a one to three year period.  

Are there any restrictions on how the funding can be used?  

• The funding can be used flexibly according to the project needs however it must be clear in the application how it is being spent along with a budget breakdown. Unfortunately, the grant cannot be used to cover core costs.  

Does it have to be accommodation for people facing homelessness?  

• Yes, the purpose of this fund is to create or unlock access to accommodation for people facing homelessness as this was one of the biggest challenges identified by frontline workers and the people they support.  

What is the difference between unlocking and creating accommodation?  

• Unlock existing accommodation: for example making it suitable for a currently excluded demographic (such as adaptations and adjustments for individuals with a disability) or refurbishing an existing space to bring it back into use. 

• Create new accommodation: this might include things like converting existing property, working with a church, landlord or other partners to make new property available to them or developing a community lodgings approach.  

What is your view on the use of AI such as Chat GPT in applications? 

• We recognise that for some applicants AI tools may support the writing and editing of their application. If using AI we encourage you to carefully review all content to ensure its accurate and authentically represents your organisation and the work you do. 

Can the funding be used towards Tenancy Support Worker roles and other related posts?

• The focus of this fund is on creating and unlocking housing solutions. Whilst we recognise that support is an integral part of this, the funding must be used primarily to cover costs that are focussed on creating or unlocking tangible accommodation options. Some support element could be funded as part of the housing solution but we would not expect the grant requested to cover just support worker costs.

Are there any restrictions on who can use the accommodation?

• The accommodation and housing solution must be focussed on people facing or experiencing homelessness. This could include individuals with no recourse to public funds.

Are there any restrictions on projects where there may be a leasehold involved?

• There are no restrictions on the length of the lease however we would request that you provide as much information as possible about the property and lease terms and conditions within your application.

Does this fund cover costs for existing accommodation services?

• The focus of this programme is on funding projects that either unlock or create new accommodation and housing options. Therefore, it cannot be used to cover existing accommodation services.