King's College Finds £2,000 Grant Cuts Homelessness
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- King's College London recruited 302 care leavers aged 18‑25 from nine English local authorities and randomly gave 100 of them a £2,000 grant in June 2023.
- Grant recipients were more likely to secure stable housing and less likely to sofa‑surf, according to follow‑ups at six and twelve months.
- Grant recipients also showed lower rates of arrest or criminal conviction and reduced overnight hospital stays compared with the control group.
- Grant recipients reported a 12 % reduction in spending on alcohol, tobacco or drugs and higher self‑reported well‑being, optimism and problem‑solving ability.
- Aeryn Hill, a 22‑year‑old participant, used the money to buy a laptop for university and fund a short holiday, describing the grant as a “big improvement”.
- Centre for Homelessness Impact, which commissioned the study, says the results should encourage councils to consider no‑strings‑attached cash support for young people leaving care.
Why it matters: The study shows that direct cash support can immediately improve housing stability and health outcomes for vulnerable young adults, reducing public costs associated with homelessness, incarceration and emergency care, while giving recipients agency over their own lives and easing the burden on social services.
