Housing First

What is Housing First?

Housing First is a simple but radically different approach to tackling long term homelessness with complex cases and forms and a key element of GCHSCP's Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan. It enables people who are affected by long term life trauma's who are affected by addiction, mental health and other issues and who are homeless, to be rapidly rehoused in independent tenancies in the community, with no requirement to go through the traditional housing programme. A bespoke, outreach support package is available to help those in the programme and includes:

• helping the person adjust and settle into their home and their community
• assisting and enabling day to day tasks
• help with money management
• help with appointments and linking with the recovery network and other community activities. 

This support helps ensure the person is in a better position to:

• sustain a permanent tenancy
• access community support, health care and social benefits

The person is not required to be abstinent - instead, the Housing First programme focuses on a harm reduction approach.

Following the city Pathfinder programme, from 1 April 2022 the Housing First Service is an integral GCHSCP Service with a dedicated team who manage referrals, undertake assessment and work with Housing Associations across the city who provide tenancies. The team also provides the necessary links to care and treatment services for the person referred.

The Housing First Consortium Glasgow (a joint partnership between Turning Point Scotland, Simon Community Scotland, Salvation Army and Wheatley Care) and Salvation Army Housing First services provide assertive outreach, one to one support for the people referred and moving into tenancy and is provided for as long as the person requires it.

Who is Housing First for?

The Housing First Service is for:

• homeless people with multiple complex needs who have been involved in Rapid Rehousing but were not able to see it through to the end
• single people / couples with a significant history of two or more of the following (not exhaustive) indicators of multiple complex needs:
  • addiction
  • involvement in criminal justice system
  • anti-social behaviour
  • violence
  • mental health
  • rough sleeping (current/in the past)
  • begging
  • veteran
  • history of incomplete engagement with services
  • alcohol related brain damage
  • lengthy history of involvement with services

How do I apply for Housing First?

You can self refer by contacting any homeless casework team or via Health and Social Care Connect who can help guide you through Homeless Services.

During office hours you can phone Health and Social Care Connect on 0141 287 0555

Services and organisations can refer someone who meets the criteria listed above and is attending their service/organisation using this referral form (Word doc, 52 KB).