Additional financial assistance programmes have received increased attention over the last decade. In low- and middle-income countries they have been used to alleviate poverty, with studies demonstrating that such interventions can lead to improved outcomes. We are pleased to share this ground-breaking project that is testing unconditional cash transfers as an intervention to support people out of homelessness.

We are evaluating whether giving money directly to individuals with experience of homelessness will enable them to move on from homelessness permanently. Not through a charity or a Local Authority but directly into their own bank account. We are doing this because giving money to people experiencing hardship, known as a direct cash transfer, has a strong evidence base from evaluations across the world as an effective route out of poverty. This is the first programme in the UK to test the impact of giving personal grants to people experiencing homelessness.

How we are going about it

We ran a pilot project phase of the trial in Glasgow, Perth, North Lanarkshire, and Edinburgh,  Swansea and Neath Port Talbot, and Oxford, which ended in February 2025. In this pilot phase we recruited 81 participants,  which was not enough to generate eligible quantitative findings.

Building on learnings from the pilot, we expanded this trial to recruit 250 more participants in London and Belfast. Phase 2 went live in July and successfully met this target in December. Participants were randomised and split into two groups. One group received a one-time cash grant, and the second group continued to receive support services as usual but no cash grant. The evaluation will compare any impact between the two groups on housing stability, housing quality and satisfaction, wellbeing, financial security, social connectedness and contact with public services and the justice system.

Ways to get involved

Recruitment has now closed. You can follow updates on this trial and other projects we are involved in by signing up to our monthly newsletter here.