Market overview: homelessness and housing related support

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Overview

Bradford Council provides a range of commissioned services to prevent and respond to homelessness. These include Temporary Accommodation (TA) services, which support the Council in meeting its legal duties under the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017, and Housing-Related Support (HRS), which helps people with complex needs who are at risk of losing their home or are homeless and require more intensive support.

Temporary Accommodation services are delivered by commissioned providers who offer emergency housing to households experiencing homelessness. These services ensure suitable accommodation is available while statutory teams assess needs and work toward longer-term solutions.

Housing Related Support services are also commissioned and delivered by external providers. They offer tailored, intensive support to individuals with complex needs, helping them to stabilise their housing situation, build independence, and reduce the risk of repeat homelessness. Groups supported include:

• people with mental health needs
• individuals affected by substance misuse
• survivors of domestic abuse
• young people leaving care
• people with a history of rough sleeping
• hospital leavers who are homeless — supported through BRICSS, a service offering short-term accommodation and medical care after discharge

Together, these services are central to Bradford’s efforts to reduce homelessness, improve health, and support independent living. With over 2,500 households affected, the Council works with a range of providers to deliver coordinated support-offering safe accommodation and tailored help for people in crisis and guiding them towards more stable and secure housing.

Current situation

Bradford Council commissions both Temporary Accommodation (TA) and Housing-Related Support (HRS) services, working in partnership with a range of specialist providers. This approach ensures consistency in service delivery while enabling organisations with expertise to tailor support to the needs of different groups. Provision includes hostel-based accommodation, dispersed housing, and floating support within the community, allowing flexible responses to individual circumstances.

Bradford Council commissions both Temporary Accommodation (TA) and Housing-Related Support (HRS) services, working in partnership with a range of specialist providers. This approach ensures consistency in service delivery while enabling organisations with expertise to tailor support to the needs of different groups. Provision includes hostel-based accommodation, dispersed housing, and floating support within the community, allowing flexible responses to individual circumstances.

Our Temporary Accommodation Service, valued at £1.89 million annually, supports 499 households through commissioned specialist provision; this includes 100 units for females, 100 for males, 150 for families, 10 for people with offending histories, and 139 flexible units for mixed groups based on demand.

Our Housing Related Support services, valued at £2.85 million annually, are commissioned across specialist lots to support people with serious offending histories, men, women, young people, and mixed groups. Provision also includes respite and intermediate care for those leaving hospital and at risk of homelessness, as well as day shelter services offering food, showers, and a safe space to help individuals meet basic needs and access further support.

The Council has recently improved how homelessness services are delivered by making them more tailored and inclusive. For example, we’ve introduced gender-specific accommodation and specialist support based on people’s individual needs. We’ve also strengthened how we monitor services. By focusing on how long people stay and how quickly they move on, we’ve been able to identify delays and take action to help more people progress into stable housing.

Bradford Council is intensifying efforts to reduce the number of households currently in Temporary Accommodation through targeted prevention, early intervention, and expanded housing pathways.

With Domestic Abuse cases being one of the highest groups of people accessing Temporary Accommodation services we’re working closely with specialist providers to keep people safely in their homes - removing perpetrators where appropriate and commissioning tailored support to prevent crisis escalation. Partnerships with social landlords are helping to increase access to social housing, while engagement with the private rented sector is unlocking new accommodation options.

We’re also collaborating with national charity Crisis through the Built for Zero programme, which uses real-time data and co-ordinated action to drive reductions in homelessness. These combined efforts are designed to help ease pressure on Temporary Accommodation and support more sustainable housing outcomes.

Future demand

Demand for Temporary Accommodation and Housing-Related Support services in Bradford is expected to rise in the short to medium term; driven by national housing pressures, population growth, and economic challenges. Rising rents, limited affordable housing, and welfare reform continue to place vulnerable households at risk.

Like many Councils nationally, Bradford faces many challenges to support people who face homelessness and this is because of a number of factors. This includes:

• An Increasing demand for homelessness services: Economic challenges, including rising living costs, low wages and changes to the welfare system have created financial instability for some households, leading to an increase in homelessness.
• An increasing number of households with complex needs: Many individuals experiencing homelessness have additional issues such as: mental health conditions, substance abuse, chronic physical health issues or histories of trauma and abuse.
• An inadequate supply of affordable housing: Low availability of suitable and affordable accommodation including social and private rented sector especially for people with disabilities, big families and self-contained 1 bed properties
• High demands on social housing: Demands on social housing supply remain high and is greater than what is available.
• Rough sleeping: shortage of adequate accommodation options for rough sleepers.
• Decrease in private rented properties: Rising property prices and increased costs for landlords have made it less profitable to rent out properties. Additionally, the Local Housing Allowance rate does not align with current market rental prices.
• Shortage of floating support services and supported housing: The limited availability of these services means that many individuals do not receive the help they need to maintain stable housing.

To meet future demand, Bradford plans to move away from the traditional 'laddered' accommodation model toward a streamlined, housing-led approach that prioritises rapid access to stable housing with flexible, wraparound support tailored to individual needs. This shift requires investment in permanent housing, collaboration with developers and the private sector, and enhanced floating support services that can adapt to changing needs. It also involves strengthening partnerships with health, social care, and voluntary sector organisations to deliver holistic, person-centred support. Bradford is committed to invest-to-save models, recognising that early, targeted interventions can reduce long-term costs across housing, health, and the criminal justice system.

A key priority is prevention and early intervention, improving access to advice and support before crisis, expanding tenancy sustainment, and increasing outreach to those at risk. The Council aims to reduce homelessness presentations and avoid costly crisis responses. Domestic Abuse remains a significant driver of homelessness in Bradford. The Council is expanding safe accommodation, enhancing trauma-informed support, and ensuring survivors can access housing and specialist services promptly. This includes stronger coordination between domestic abuse services, housing teams, and health providers.

Bradford is also exploring expanded specialist provision for young people, people with disabilities, and those with complex trauma histories. Addressing gaps in culturally competent services and improving access to mental health and substance misuse support will be critical to meeting future needs and improving outcomes.

Commissioning intentions

Our Temporary Accommodation services were commissioned in April 2025 for an initial three-year term, with the option to extend for up to an additional 36 months.

The current Housing Related Support contracts are due to end in September 2026. We’re now beginning a full review of these services, which will include engaging with providers and stakeholders to gather their views and help shape future delivery.

Contact details

For more information and support, or for providers who would like to informally discuss the service and opportunities available, please contact [email protected]

The Commissioning Manager for this area is Shezad Ahmed.

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