This exploratory study examined patterns of service use over 90 days, among 86 single homeless people in England, to estimate the financial costs of homelessness for central and local government. In line with the results from international research, the findings indicate that significant public expenditure is occurring as a direct and indirect consequence of homelessness. The research indicates that a renewed emphasis on preventing and rapidly ending homelessness, is likely to lead to a better use of public money and, crucially, could help reduce the many human costs of homelessness.

This research was conducted by Nicholas Pleace, University of York and Dennis P. Culhane from the University of Pennsylvania. Crisis supported the work to explore the financial consequences of extending the preventative duties of English local authorities. Costs for local authorities, support services, the NHS and the criminal justice system were estimated.