A UK-first trial, led by the Centre for Homelessness Impact, is giving £2,000 directly to people with recent experience of rough sleeping or temporary accommodation, with no conditions. Early findings, reported in the Big Issue, highlight how participants are using the money to meet real and practical needs. These include purchasing essential furniture for new homes, clearing debts, paying for childcare, enrolling on courses and paying for transport to work or school.
Direct cash transfers and the Personal Grants project
St Martin-in-the-Fields Charity is funding this work alongside other partners as part of our commitment to invest in solutions that tackle the root causes of homelessness, as well as its effects. Through the Personal Grants project, funds go directly to individuals, rather than being applied for on their behalf by frontline workers, as in our emergency grants programme. Each person who receives a personal grant decides how best to use the money, recognising that the route out of homelessness is different for everyone.
Early insights from the first phase of the trial suggest that those involved saw improvements to their confidence, mental wellbeing and had an overall feeling of control. In addition, no adverse outcomes have been reported so far.
One person who used a personal grant to clear escalating debts told us:
“When I saw that money in the account, I was just – oh my God – and then I went and paid all the debts off. It just felt like freedom!”
Devon’s journey from homelessness to stability
Devon, who recently featured in our Christmas Appeal, is one of those who was supported through the Personal Grants project.
After leaving prison, Devon was sleeping rough in Oxford and struggling with his mental health. But despite his challenging circumstances, he was determined to rebuild his life. With help from a support worker named Barry and a personal grant, he was able to secure a one-bedroom flat near his work and used the money to cover essential costs like fitting a carpet, buying food and furniture, and paying off his debt so he could focus on the future.
Having the freedom to decide how to use the grant made a real difference. As Devon puts it: “That meant a lot to me, because I have the control over it, and I know what I’m doing with it… That gives me my own control, and for me to get that grant, I have to use it properly, to help myself.”
Access to a personal grant helped him turn an empty space into a home, and gave him the stability to move forward. Today, Devon is in steady work and making plans for the future.
You can read Devon’s full story and learn more about how the Personal Grants project is changing lives and giving people choice over their next steps.
Read Devon’s story
