Working with Offenders

Imagine leaving prison with only a black bag holding your belongings, no home or job waiting for you, and little cash in your pocket. For many Londoners leaving prison, this is the harsh reality.

If you’ve lost touch with family and friends, then reintegrating into the community without a solid support network or safety net is a huge challenge.

In 2023/24, 13% of people leaving prison were released homeless, and on average, about 800 people each month transition straight from prison into homelessness.

As a result, many prison leavers are quickly pushed into homelessness. And without a home, they are 50% more likely to fall back into criminal behavior and return to prison. And the cycle repeats, and nobody wins…

That’s why our offender services play such an important role.

Breaking the cycle

Our teams help Londoners break the cycle of re-offending by finding them a place to live and helping them to make real, positive changes in their lives.

Our support starts right after prison and we’re there for the longer-term, helping ex-offenders in the community and giving individuals the life skills they need to work towards independence.  We work: 

• Alongside Probation Services: Our Housing Advice Workers are based in probation offices across London, offering advice and support to secure stable housing.
• With the NHS: We provide housing support for people with personality disorders and offending histories as part of a multidisciplinary approach based in specialist NHS teams.
• With other services: We ensure our clients get the support they need to thrive. We also connect them with other services and organisations for help with physical and mental health, substance misuse, and emotional well-being.

Each year, we support over 3,000 Londoners through our offender services. By reducing reoffending, we’re giving people the best chance to succeed and thrive. And everyone benefits from this.