A NEW project will support people who are leaving prison into secure tenancies in a bid to break the cycle of homelessness and re-offending.
The Prison to Home pilot scheme is a partnership between Inverclyde Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP), Inverclyde Community Justice Partnership and River Clyde Homes.
It will identify 10 people from Inverclyde who are due to be released from prison over the next year and offer them early access to support so that they have appropriate, stable housing once they leave custody.
Evidence shows that spending time in prison can increase the risk of homelessness, and a lack of stable accommodation can increase the likelihood of re-offending.
Councillor Francesca Brennan, convener of Inverclyde’s social work and social care scrutiny panel, said: “This is an innovative way of trying to solve the vicious circle of leaving prison, becoming homeless then potentially re-offending.
“Our aim is for people to leave that life behind and contribute to society. Supporting them with dignity to get somewhere stable to live is a crucial step towards that.”
Stevie McLachlan, River Clyde Homes’s customer services director, said: “For people coming out of prison it is critical to have the building blocks of a stable life in place, housing being one of the most important.
“At River Clyde Homes, we believe everyone deserves a safe and secure place to live and we are happy to work with Inverclyde HSCP and Inverclyde Community Justice Partnership on this vital project.”
As well as support to access accommodation, the individuals will be supported in the community by HSCP services including justice social work, Inverclyde Community Justice Partnership and Housing Options and Homelessness Advice Service (HOHAS).
People leaving custody often face significant barriers to securing stable accommodation. Often their only option is to apply for temporary accommodation under the Homelessness (Scotland) Act 2023.
During 2024/25, 320 households approached Inverclyde HSCP’s Housing Options and Homelessness Advice Service (HOHAS) for support either because they were homeless or were at risk of homelessness. Of those, 13 per cent (40) were individuals who had been discharged from prison, hospital or care.
The pilot scheme will run for 12 months and will help Inverclyde in implementing Scottish Government’s SHORE (Sustainable Housing on Release for Everyone) Standards. This is a pathway to sustainable housing which starts whilst individuals are still in custody and continues until their release.
