Camden launches £10m multi-agency hub to support rough sleepers

A new £10 million outreach service has launched in Camden, introducing a “one-stop shop” approach to help people transition from street homelessness into stable housing. Operated by the Single Homeless Project, the initiative moves away from traditional outreach by embedding mental health, housing, and addiction specialists directly into a central support hub.

The service, which began its initial rollout in April, is designed as a six-year partnership between Camden Council and the Single Homeless Project. Unlike previous models where outreach teams might refer individuals to separate offices across the borough, the new hub functions as a multi-agency base. Housing officers work alongside mental health professionals and drug and alcohol specialists to provide immediate, coordinated assistance from a single location.

Multi-agency hub centralises housing and health support

At the center of this new model is a support hub that prioritizes an integrated approach. By bringing together specialists who previously operated in silos, the service aims to address the overlapping challenges of rough sleeping more efficiently. When an individual is reached through outreach, they are not simply given a list of phone numbers; they are connected to a team that can handle housing applications, mental health assessments, and substance misuse support simultaneously.

This assertive outreach strategy involves teams proactively visiting known rough sleeping sites across Camden to engage with individuals who may have been disconnected from services for long periods. The goal is to build trust and provide a clear pathway away from the streets. This localized focus mirrors successful interventions in other regions, such as initiatives transitioning rough sleepers into permanent housing through intensive winter support and dedicated casework.

Trauma-informed care and ‘no wrong door’ access

The £10 million investment introduces a renewed focus on trauma-informed assessment. This methodology recognizes that many people experiencing long-term homelessness have faced significant personal crises, including domestic abuse or childhood trauma, which can make traditional service environments feel inaccessible or overwhelming. Staff are trained to provide support that accounts for these experiences, aiming to reduce the risk of individuals disengaging from the process.

To further lower barriers to entry, the service is piloting a “no wrong door” approach. This policy ensures that regardless of which agency or specialist a person first encounters, they can be seamlessly navigated into the full suite of available support. By removing the need for multiple referrals and repetitive assessments, the project aims to capture those who might otherwise fall through the gaps of the social care system.

Six-year partnership targets long-term street homelessness

The contract awarded to Single Homeless Project represents a long-term commitment to Camden’s strategy for ending street homelessness. The six-year duration of the partnership is intended to provide the stability needed for complex casework, acknowledging that helping someone rebuild their life away from the streets often requires years of consistent support rather than a short-term fix.

During the official launch event this week, partners from across the borough’s housing and wellbeing sectors met to align on the hub’s operational goals. The service will continue to scale its operations throughout 2026, focusing on reducing the number of people sleeping rough in high-density areas of the borough. The integrated hub model will serve as a pilot for how multi-agency teams can collaborate to solve complex social issues in an urban environment.

Source: Camden Council