The Prince of Wales has described homelessness as “a systemic failure” and urged a shift in how society addresses the issue, speaking at a Tate Modern event marking the third anniversary of his Homewards initiative.
Homewards Progress and Impact
Launched in 2023, Homewards is a five-year project aiming to make homelessness “rare, brief and unrepeated.” It operates in six locations: Newport, Lambeth, Belfast, Aberdeen, Sheffield, and the Dorset towns of Poole, Bournemouth, and Christchurch, tailoring solutions to local needs.
William announced that the initiative has helped 73 individuals and families into stable housing, supported more than 250 people into work, and reached thousands to reduce their risk of falling into crisis. “These aren’t just statistics, they are people who have a home, a job and a future that are very different to only a few years ago,” he said.
Prevention Through Shared Responsibility
William stressed the importance of early intervention: “Crucially, people are being supported earlier, in schools, in the workplace, in their communities, so homelessness never becomes part of their story.” He added, “All of this shows that prevention works when responsibility is shared, when businesses support their employees through difficult moments, when teachers educate students on housing rights, when key community touch points have the tools and knowledge to direct people to support.”
“At the heart of this is a shift in how we see homelessness, because homelessness is not an individual failure, it is a systemic failure. And if systems can help create a problem, systems can help prevent it,” he said.
Funding and Achievements
Over three years, Homewards has invested £1.9 million across its six locations through the Homewards Fund, with an additional £3.5 million leveraged through grants and private philanthropy. A further £2.3 million worth of surplus goods has been used to furnish homes. In Aberdeen alone, 31 people are now living in homes created through the programme.
William met individuals, organisations, and businesses involved, including broadcaster Dean McCullough, who shared his childhood experience with homelessness. The prince also spoke with Baroness Louise Casey about systemic changes needed nationwide.
Looking Ahead
William viewed a timeline mural by artist Myro Doodles depicting key homelessness work moments, including his first visit with his mother Diana to The Passage charity and a later visit with Prince George in late 2025. Joking about the mural, he said, “you’ll soon need a longer wall, hopefully.”
He concluded, “The next two years are about proving that what works in six locations can work across the country, because if homelessness can be prevented here, it can be prevented anywhere. And together one day we can make homelessness rare, brief and unrepeated. That is the challenge we set ourselves three years ago. Today we can see the path to achieve it.”
