Prince William will deliver a major speech today marking three years of his Homewards homelessness project, declaring that homelessness is a systemic failure rather than an individual one. The Prince of Wales will outline how the five-year initiative has already helped thousands of people access stable homes, jobs, and support before reaching a crisis point.
Homewards Achievements and Funding
At a celebration event on Tuesday, William will highlight that Homewards has secured support from businesses including Specsavers, Nando's, Ikea, and Lloyds Banking Group. The Homewards Fund has invested £1.9 million in prevention, with an additional £3.5 million leveraged through grants and private philanthropy.
The prince is expected to say: 'Homelessness is not an individual failure; it is a systemic failure. And, if systems help create the problem, then systems can also help prevent it. By trialling new approaches, Homewards is demonstrating how prevention can be embedded across every part of our society. Proving that our true strength emerges not in isolation, but in a shared purpose that makes us greater than the sum of our parts.'
Event Details and Attendees
The celebration event will be hosted by Radio 1 DJ Dean McCullough and attended by Aston Villa centre-back Tyrone Mings, who has been an advocate for Homewards since its inception, TV presenter Gail Porter, and homelessness expert Baroness Louise Casey. The event brings together partners, businesses, and people with lived experience to highlight emerging solutions.
Project Progress and Impact
Launched in June 2023, Homewards works with six flagship locations across the UK, bringing together local leaders, businesses, delivery organisations, and people with lived experience to design and deliver tailored solutions. Three years in, more than 2,400 people are now being supported to prevent homelessness from becoming part of their lives. Over 70 individuals and families are in stable homes, and more than 250 people have been supported into employment.
These results stem from a deliberate shift towards prevention, expanding support beyond traditional services to work with schools, employers, and healthcare professionals to intervene earlier.
Large-Scale Partnerships and Next Steps
Over the last year, Homewards has moved from testing ideas to implementing large-scale partnerships, including a £2.3 million furniture collaboration with The Multibank, DfS, Bosch Home Appliances, IKEA, and B&Q to furnish homes. The Homelessness Data Lab has been created, bringing together over 25 partners to explore how data and technology can identify risk earlier.
As Homewards enters its final stage, William will outline the project's next aim: scale. He is expected to say: 'The next two years are about proving that what works in six locations can work across the country.' The plan is to focus on scaling solutions with the greatest potential, creating a model applicable across the UK and internationally.
William's Personal Commitment
William is heavily involved with Homewards, making frequent visits to pilot locations. Hazel Destiny, Executive Director of Homelessness at the Royal Foundation, described his meetings as 'punchy.' She said: 'The question that the prince always asks me is 'How will we know this has worked at the end of five years and how will we know it's worked for long-term change?' If we start to change the culture, if people across the whole society think differently, act differently, work together, feel optimistic, then that will also be part of that sustainable long-term change that will spread to other places.'
William's interest in tackling homelessness dates back to his childhood, when his mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, discussed the issue with him and later took him and Prince Harry to visit a homeless shelter.
