You're Home
You’re Home is a five-property affordable rental accommodation project in east Belfast in partnership with Northern Irish homeless charity East Belfast Mission (EBM).
In partnership with:
Why is You're Home needed?
For those leaving homelessness and on the pathway to independent living, sky high rental costs are prohibiting them from regaining their independence. Social housing is rarely an option either. People with low support needs are often excluded from accessing social housing in Belfast, with the priority going to those with more urgent or complex needs.
This leaves many in a catch-22: no longer wanting to remain in hostels but unable to move into the private rented sector. In addition, the lack of a guarantor and prejudice from landlords for being homeless or on benefits also prevent individuals from transitioning towards living independently.
The Housing Solution
You’re Home’s model is simple: by providing accommodation at reduced rents to people with low needs, tenants can progress with their recovery from homelessness and transition into independent living in longer term, stable housing.
You’re Home sits within East Belfast Mission’s wider existing services, including its homeless hostel. The project acts as a pathway for tenants to, once ready, move on from the hostel and into good-quality, self-contained independent housing, while freeing up to five spaces in the hostel for those in need.
The five homes may become a permanent residence for tenants, and move on is not envisaged as a key element of the project but will be supported where appropriate for any individual. Tenants also benefit from wrap-around support services if required to help with issues such as finding a job or budgeting.
The project was enabled through £550,000 of social investment, aiding in the acquisition of the houses in Belfast.
Project Outcomes
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Since commencing in 2023, the You're Home pilot is producing extremely positive experiences for residents and generating significant social value, as evidenced by the project’s independent evaluation.
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The cost-benefit analysis forecasts a return of £2.39 for every £1 invested, yielding financial returns for investors, savings for public services (reduced healthcare and social services costs), and tenant wellbeing value.
"It’s perfect. I went there for the first time and I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry...It had been two years since I have my own home... I couldn’t explain the feeling the
first day waking up. It was love!"
You’re Home tenant
Dr Andrew Grounds 2025
Prof Brendan Murtagh
Queen's University Belfast
Key Learnings
The final evaluation of You're Home, conducted by researchers at Queen's University Belfast, details findings from the initial three-year pilot and serves as a catalyst for further development of Community-Led Housing in Northern Ireland.
What has worked?
Positive tenant outcomes:
Stable housing enabled tangible progress for tenants, allowing them to pursue further educational opportunities, advance their careers, complete vocational training, and rebuild family relationships. These positive outcomes illustrate the model's effectiveness in facilitating genuine transitions from hostel accommodation to community-based independent living.
Furthermore, the model’s flexible tenancy approach contributed to practical outcomes by enabling tenants to stay in their homes as long as required for a successful move-on.
Effective partnership approach:
The evaluation found that the collaboration between East Belfast Mission (EBM) and Commonweal was crucial to the project's fundamental success. EBM's community roots and established service networks, combined with Commonweal's technical and financial expertise, access to social investors and emphasis on evaluation and learning, created integrated benefits that contributed to positive outcomes for tenants.
Financial innovation:
The project’s blended financing model demonstrates a practical approach to sustainable social finance. The model utilises patient capital investment (secured by Commonweal), supplemented by housing allowance top-ups to bridge the gap between benefit rates and actual rental costs, ensuring the project's long-term financial viability.
Catalytic investment model:
You’re Home serves as a practical demonstrator, enabling EBM to leverage Commonweal's initial investment to secure additional funds to develop its community-led housing work. This shows how a well-executed pilot can prove a concept works while opening up new funding opportunities to expand services.
Importantly, the investment model serves as an adaptable learning framework for other organisations working to adopt similar loan or patient capital interventions - a relatively new approach in Northern Ireland’s homelessness sector.
Replication:
EBM is currently exploring immediate scaling pathways, which include:
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Securing a potential £2 million FTC investment loan from the Northern Ireland Assembly to deliver 18 additional You're Home units.
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Accessing the Loan to Acquire Move on scheme (LAMA) - a £10 million FTC-funded programme launched in December 2024, directly aligned with the You're Home project.
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Sharing learnings across the Northern Irish homelessness sector to encourage and ease practical replication where possible.
The evaluation can be read and downloaded below.
If you have any further questions about the You’re Home project and its impacts to date, please don’t hesitate to get in touch at: info@commonweal.org.uk.
Case Study
Reclaiming Professional Identity:
This tenant's journey from call centre work to a Civil Service position exemplifies how stable housing can facilitate career advancement whilst supporting family responsibilities. Transitioning from EBM's Hosford House Hostel to a 'You're Home’ property, this single father faced significant barriers to securing stable accommodation. With previous criminal convictions and low housing points, he also struggled to afford local private rental properties.
The 'You're Home' property has provided more than just a secure tenancy. The quiet neighbourhood environment has proved ideal for outdoor activities with his son from a previous relationship, whilst the housing stability has enabled him to pursue long-term professional goals and advance his career.
Initially, religious concerns about the area caused some anxiety, but these were quickly overcome as the positive community location of the property became apparent. The progression from temporary call centre employment to a permanent Civil Service role reflects the mental space and stability that a secure housing tenure provides.
Regular salary has enhanced his self sufficiency, enabling better life planning and access to greater levels of disposable income that improve long term security for both him and his son. High satisfaction with both the accommodation and local environment has created the foundation for successful community integration, whilst family-friendly activities in the area, particularly through walking and other outdoor pursuits with his son, have strengthened their relationship.
His experience demonstrates how quality housing support can enable the capacity to balance professional and family responsibilities simultaneously, creating positive outcomes that extend far beyond basic accommodation provision.
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