Helping street sex workers break the cycle of homelessness

Postgraduate researcher Emma Bimpson has authored a report on a Leeds pilot scheme run by women's charity Basis Yorkshire, designed to secure homes for women sex workers.

The scheme, which began in November 2016, uses an approach known as 'Housing First' to find homes for women who, because of the nature of their employment and lifestyle, have complex needs that are not often met by existing housing and homelessness services.

Basis identified an urgent need for a service that was driven by women’s experiences, applying the principles of Housing First to provide permanent, affordable and safe housing as quickly as possible, followed up with the unconditional support people need to stay in their new homes.

Ms Bimpson, whose research explores the ways housing and homelessness providers have responded to austerity, said “Housing First can’t solve homelessness alone, nor should it be the only solution. But it demonstrates how people’s needs might not be met by existing housing and homelessness services, and the evidence collected from the Basis project and others across the UK is a testament to the success of this approach."

Read the full news story on the University of Leeds website.

Download Emma Bimpson's full report, An Evaluation of Basis Yorkshire’s Housing First Pilot.