A pioneering scheme has supported more than 400 people across Merseyside.

The Liverpool City Region's Housing First programme has provided assistance to those experiencing repeat and chronic homelessness in Halton, Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton, St Helens, and Wirral.

The initiative, which began as one of three pilot programmes in 2019, provides individuals with a home as a starting point and offers support thereafter.

Since its launch, more than 400 people have been assisted, with more than half of the beneficiaries moving into their own homes and 76 per cent of service users maintaining their tenancies.

Backed by Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram, the programme celebrated its fifth anniversary on World Homelessness Day, October 10, 2024.

Mr Rotheram said: "On the fifth anniversary of our Housing First programme, it's not just the numbers that stand out - though supporting over 400 people across our region is no mean feat - it's the lives that have been completely transformed.

"Everyone deserves a second chance and our Housing First scheme is proof that when we put compassion at the heart of what we do, and focus on providing stable housing first, we can offer people the chance to rebuild their lives with dignity.

"This pioneering approach is making a real, tangible difference, proving that we don’t have to accept homelessness as inevitable."

The Housing First programme is based on an internationally recognised model of housing and support for people experiencing the most severe and complex homelessness, and chronic health and social care needs.

It moves away from expecting people to be 'housing ready' before they can access a tenancy and provides a home as the starting point rather than an end goal.

The scheme then provides individual, targeted support from a dedicated practitioner to deal with mental and physical health issues such as addiction and the effects of trauma and abuse.

Sarah Goodwin, Housing First programme manager for the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, said: "We’ve achieved so much over the last five years.

"What works is our approach, it aligns very closely to the original model of Housing First which we have seen work successfully in places like Finland.

"Service users have proved that with the right support and care given to them, they are capable of change and can go on to rebuild positive lives for themselves in a stable, safe home.

"I sincerely hope that the programme continues across the city region for another five years and that we can continue to work in partnership with our colleagues across the six local authority areas to deliver Housing First to those who desperately need it."

An independent report commissioned by the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority found Housing First was 3.5 times more effective in supporting homeless people to secure and sustain tenancies compared to traditional methods.

Whilst the programme costs more, it was deemed twice as cost-effective.

Another study compared the cost of the Housing First programme to the likely cost to the public purse if those supported had not received it.

It showed an average saving of £34,500 a year for each person it helps out of homelessness.

The programme has also successfully 'graduated' a number of service users, who no longer need the level of support the programme provides, onto other initiatives, including the Combined Authority’s Households into Work programme, to continue their journey forward.