MoveOn: Beyond Emergency Housing

When someone ends up in temporary accommodation, it’s rarely just about losing a home. It’s about losing stability, confidence and sometimes hope. And while a safe place to sleep is vital, we all know that a roof on its own doesn’t fix the bigger picture.

The Scale of the Challenge

Right now, more people are stuck in temporary housing than ever before.

• 131,000 households in England are living in temporary accommodation, a 12% rise in the past year.

• 169,000 children are growing up in B&Bs, hotels or short-term lets. That’s the highest figure on record.

• Rough sleeping is also rising, up 20% in the last year and 164% compared to 2010.

Councils are doing everything they can, but budgets are being stretched to breaking point. We’ve all seen the headlines: local authorities paying above market rent for poor-quality housing because there’s no other option. Meanwhile, the supply of social homes keeps shrinking, and private rents keep climbing: up 9% in the past year alone.

What MoveOn Really Means

MoveOn is about helping people leave emergency housing behind for good and making sure they don’t fall back into crisis. That means:

• Step-by-step housing support, not just an overnight stay.

• Help into work, with employability programmes and SWAPs.

• Access to education and training, so people can build lasting independence.Because if we stop at “providing a bed for the night”, we all know what happens next: people end up back where they started. And that costs more—financially and socially.

Why It Works

MoveOn is built on partnership. Local authorities, housing providers, charities, employers—all pulling in the same direction. It’s practical and it’s realistic. When housing is combined with work opportunities and the right support, the cycle breaks. People get back on their feet and stay there. At GreenKey, we’re proud to be one part of that puzzle, working alongside some brilliant partners to make MoveOn happen on the ground. Our background in recruitment means we understand the barriers people face—and the potential they bring when given the chance.

How You Can Help

If you’re working in housing or commissioning services, you already know the cost of doing nothing. Emergency accommodation is essential, but it can’t be the whole solution. Programmes like MoveOn are designed to create a real exit route and councils play a huge role in making that possible. If you want to find out more, or explore how your local authority can be part of this approach, get in touch with Danny Welsh. It could be through partnerships, pathways or shared projects. There’s no single answer, but there are better answers—and we’d love to talk about them.