CAS-2: six months on
CAS-2 is an invaluable service that helps people when they need us most. We are there when they are waiting for trial and we’re there to help them begin rebuilding their life upon release.
Housing for ex-offenders
Having stable and secure housing when people come out of prison is a key part of their rehabilitation and reintegration into society. We work with individuals in our services helping them find a home and break down barriers to address their offending behaviour. Our policy and research work is based on the experiences of our service staff and the people who we help. We use this insight to suggest solutions to problems for housing ex-offenders. Our Cell, Street, Repeat, campaign aims to break the cycle of people leaving prison, living on the street and then going back to jail.
Why having a home to go to is important after prison
For people coming out of prison it is vital to have the building blocks of a stable life in place, housing being one of the most important.
Sometimes referred to as a halfway house, housing services for ex-offenders are essential for individuals wanting to rebuild their lives.
If you come out of prison with nowhere to go it is virtually impossible to maintain any progress people have made in prison to move away from substance abuse, find and keep a job, or build healthy positive relationships. It is also 50% more likely you will reoffend. Without a stable home to go to after being released, former prisoners are being set up to fail.
It’s important that in most cases housing isn’t just a roof over your head, but comes with the support needed to tackle the underlying causes and barriers that may prevent an ex-offender turning their lives around.
You can learn more about our policy work in housing here.
Helping ex-offenders find housing
We believe that everyone deserves a safe and secure place to live. We provide a range of services to help people who are at risk of becoming homeless, or are homeless. Our work finding homes for ex-offenders is not just about finding a property, but also ensuring they have the support they need.
Our Community Accommodation Service (CAS-2) provides housing for people who do not have a suitable address for the term of their licence or Bail Order. This service operates nationwide.
We also offer the support they need to move on to an independent, crime-free future. Nacro delivers CAS-2 on behalf of the Ministry of Justice across England and Wales.
You can learn more about our CAS-2 service here.
Our service supports people under probation supervision in either maintaining the accommodation they have or helping them find new accommodation to prevent tenants from becoming homeless.
You can refer to this service in South Yorkshire, East Midlands, West Midlands and North Wales.
You can see more about our Housing services here.
We offer housing support to people with an offending history or who are at risk of reoffending.
Our services offers housing and support to those who have been involved with the justice system.
We offer support, supervision and guidance to reduce the risk of reoffending and prepare residents for independent living. These services are local to Conwy ,Gwynedd ,Liverpool ,Pembrokeshire ,Birmingham, Nottingham, Richmond and Wandsworth.
You can see more about our Housing services here.
Our Criminal Record Support Service offers people information, advice and guidance on criminal record related issues through our online resources and helpline for individuals with a criminal record.
Our guidance is designed to support individuals to understand their convictions and what they need to disclose when applying for jobs, travelling, applying for housing, finance, and more.
You can contact our Criminal Record Support Service on:
Call: 0300 123 199
Email: helpline@nacro.org.uk
Learn more about Criminal Record Support Service here.
Campaigning for better support for ex-offenders
Making sure people leaving prison have somewhere to live when released is the first step towards the best chance at a second chance. The cost of housing people coming out of prison is eclipsed by the financial, social and personal cost of reoffending. It makes practical, financial sense. Ending prison leaver homelessness is possible
#CellStreetRepeat
It can feel like an overwhelming task trying to find somewhere to live after prison, with not much of a second chance.
Watch our video on how to break the cycle of #CellStreetRepeat and ensure all prison leavers have a home.
News and campaigns about ex-offender housing
We regular comment on the news and inform policymakers through our campaigns. You can see our highlights here.
Rise in number of people coming out of prison homeless
Nacro analysis of MOJ data regarding people released from prison between April 2023 to March 2024 found a 31% increase in the number of people released homeless. Find out more about what this means and what needs to change.
The impact of the early release scheme in our housing services
People are released early with short notice and because prison staff are overstretched they don’t always let us know in advance of people coming out. Learn more from those working with individuals being release early.
Speak to our experts
We provide regular insight and expertise for policymakers and journalists. Our team regularly work with national, regional, local, and broadcast media outlets in relation to housing for ex-offenders.
If you’re looking for commentary or insight into policy needs, government decisions or developing stories, contact our Media team.