Changing Lives now runs Westminster's Next Steps service: 58 beds for homeless single adults in six Marylebone and Maida Vale properties, three staffed 24/7.
The charity Changing Lives has taken over a Westminster City Council service that houses single adults who are homeless or at risk of it: 58 bedspaces across six properties in Marylebone and Maida Vale. The charity announced the change on 30 September in a press release sent to The Westminster Post.
The service is called Changing Lives Westminster: Next Steps Supported Accommodation, and the council commissioned it.
What the 58 places are
The six properties are not all the same. According to the charity:
- three are supported accommodation sites staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week
- three are satellite step-down units, for people moving on from higher levels of support towards living more independently
The release does not name the addresses, and we have not published them.
Who it is for
The charity says the service supports people with “complex and multiple needs”, naming mental and physical health, substance use, involvement with the criminal justice system and repeated homelessness.
A room is only part of it. People placed there are meant to get tailored support with their health and wellbeing, daily living skills, and access to education, training and work, and help towards “longer term, stable accommodation”, the release says. The stated aims are to reduce repeat homelessness, prevent tenancies breaking down, support recovery and move people safely into longer term homes.
Changing Lives says it will work with Probation, the council’s Housing Solutions service, Adult Social Care, street outreach teams, statutory mental health services, landlords, health providers, other charities and community groups.
What the council says
Cllr David Harvey, the council’s Cabinet Member for Housing and Regeneration, tied the contract to the council’s Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2025 to 2030:
“We are pleased to have commissioned Changing Lives to deliver a supported accommodation service that will help people experiencing homelessness, or at risk of homelessness, access safe housing, personalised support and a clear route towards long-term independence.
“Aligned with our Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2025-2030, the service focuses on prevention, crisis support, resettlement, and recovery. The service will offer tailored help with issues such as mental health, substance misuse and other complex needs, while connecting people to the right accommodation and support for their wellbeing and recovery. By recognising the complex causes of homelessness, we can help more people rebuild their lives and move towards a more secure future.”
What the charity says
Stephen Bell OBE, Chief Executive of Changing Lives, said:
“We are proud to be working with Westminster City Council to deliver this vital service.
“Westminster is one of the areas most visibly affected by homelessness and rough sleeping, but behind every statistic is a person with their own story, strengths, experiences and hopes for the future.
“This service is about creating the right conditions for people to move forward. That means a safe place to stay, but also the specialist support, trusted relationships and time people need to rebuild their confidence, improve their health and wellbeing, and take positive steps towards independence.
“At Changing Lives, we know that homelessness is rarely caused by one single issue. Many people we support have experienced trauma, poor mental health, addiction, poverty, contact with the criminal justice system or years of being pushed between services. Our role is to work alongside people, not just to manage crisis, but to help create lasting change.”
Who Changing Lives are
Changing Lives is the operating name of The Cyrenians, registered charity number 500640. It describes itself as a nationwide charity working with more than 14,000 people a year through over 100 projects in the North East, Yorkshire, the Midlands, Merseyside and London.
What it means for you
- This is not a walk-in service. The release describes a council-commissioned service working through partners such as Housing Solutions, Probation and street outreach; it gives no direct referral route for the public. If you or someone you know is homeless or about to be, the starting point is Westminster City Council’s homelessness help.
- If you see someone sleeping rough, a referral to the outreach teams can be made through StreetLink.
- For the wider housing picture in the borough, our report on the Westminster housing register sets out how many households are waiting and how few homes come up each year.
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