We’re delighted to share the fourth interim report from the evaluation of the Changing Futures programme, delivered in partnership with CFE Research, Revolving Doors Agency and the University of Sheffield.

Changing Futures is a £91.8 million initiative between the UK Government and The National Lottery Community Fund. It seeks to test innovative approaches to improving outcomes for people experiencing multiple disadvantage (defined as experience of a combination of some or all of homelessness, mental health challenges, contact with the criminal justice system, substance misuse and domestic abuse). The programme is running in 15 areas across England from 2021 to 2026.

This report explores progress and impact after the programme had been running for approximately two and a half years. It demonstrates that:

• The programme has helped local areas to deliver better support and outcomes for people experiencing multiple disadvantage who access specialist services funded by Changing Futures.
• The support from Changing Futures has helped participants to better access the services they need to make positive progress in several important areas of their lives. This includes improved wellbeing, reduced rough sleeping and wider homelessness, reduced need for emergency support from health services, and reduced experiences of domestic abuse.
• Support delivered under Changing Futures has enabled people experiencing multiple disadvantage to engage with help by providing support when they were ready for it and at their pace. However, the programme’s timeframe, wider contextual demand for services and constrained resource remain ongoing challenges for developing and delivering support which meets people where they are at in this way.
• Local areas have made progress in gaining an understanding of the needs and barriers facing people experiencing multiple disadvantage from marginalised or minority groups. That said, there is scope to improve this understanding further, and to develop and implement services and support models which better engage and support people from these groups.

This is part of a series of reports from the evaluation, all available on the government website here. The final report for the evaluation is expected to be published later this year.