Combining housing and homelessness expertise to help more people leave homelessness behind for good.
Peter Bedford Housing Association has officially joined Single Homeless Project, bringing together more than a century of combined experience in housing, homelessness and specialist support.
The move sees Peter Bedford Housing Association become a subsidiary of Single Homeless Project, forming a new group while retaining its name, distinctive identity and status as a Registered Provider of social housing.
Both organisations share a belief that everyone should have a safe, stable home and the opportunity to build the future they want.
By bringing their strengths together, they aim to provide more of the right homes, strengthen support and services, and create more opportunities for people to rebuild their lives and transform their futures.
Building on what each organisation does best
Peter Bedford Housing Association brings 324 homes across London, alongside specialist housing and housing management expertise, strong local relationships and experience supporting people with mental health needs, learning disabilities and other additional support needs.
Single Homeless Project supports more than 10,000 Londoners each year through homelessness prevention, accommodation, specialist services and opportunities that help people build confidence, develop skills and move towards greater independence.
Together, the organisations can support people at different stages of their journey, from preventing homelessness and providing accommodation at a time of crisis to creating better routes into long-term homes.
The new group represents a pioneering approach to bringing housing and homelessness expertise together. Rather than Peter Bedford Housing Association losing its identity within a larger organisation, it will retain its name, Registered Provider status and specialist expertise while benefiting from the resources and wider services of Single Homeless Project.
This creates new opportunities to think differently about how housing and support work together, develop new approaches and respond to the changing needs of people experiencing homelessness.
Liz Rutherfoord, CEO of Single Homeless Project, said:
“Everyone deserves a safe, stable home and the opportunity to build the future they want.
“Peter Bedford Housing Association brings valuable housing expertise, strong relationships and a shared commitment to the people we support. By coming together, we can build on what each organisation already does well, explore new ways of working and create more opportunities for people to leave homelessness behind for good.
“This isn’t about growth for growth’s sake. It’s about what we can achieve together and the difference we can make for people experiencing homelessness.”
Clare Norton, CEO of Peter Bedford Housing Association, said:
“Peter Bedford Housing Association has a proud history of providing homes and support for people who need them. Becoming part of Single Homeless Project gives us an opportunity to build on that history while retaining the identity, expertise and local relationships that make our organisation distinctive.
“We share a commitment to listening to the people we support and using their experiences to shape what we do. We’re excited about the opportunities this new relationship creates for our tenants and the people we support, both now and in the future.”
Helping people find a home – and keep it
The announcement comes at an important moment, as the Government works towards its ambition to get everyone sleeping rough off the streets this Christmas.
But getting people inside is only the beginning. Lasting change means ensuring people have safe, stable homes and the right support to rebuild their lives and avoid returning to homelessness.
By bringing housing, homelessness expertise and specialist support closer together, the new group has greater potential to contribute to that ambition – strengthening routes into longer-term housing and helping people sustain their homes.
Both organisations will continue to listen to the people they support and use their voices and experiences to shape their services and their future together.
Together, Single Homeless Project and Peter Bedford Housing Association want to help more people leave homelessness behind for good.