A fantastic Better Futures Programme session explored the underlying causes — and potential solutions — to homelessness, with powerful insights from panellists Polly Neate (former CEO of Shelter and soon to join the House of Lords), Mitch Greenham (GM at Beam.org), and Keith Brockbank (Cambridge Charter to End Homelessness). The discussion was expertly moderated by Julian Huppert.
Julian opened the session with an eloquent reminder of the need for empathy and awareness of the devastating personal impact of homelessness.
Keith Brockbank began by highlighting that we don’t even fully understand the scale of the problem. Even in an affluent city like Cambridge, it’s estimated that over 3,000 people are homeless — and the situation is worsening. Through the Cambridge Charter (https://cambridgehomelessnesscharter.org.uk/), Keith and his colleagues are working to unite charities, the University, and local and national government to end homelessness, rather than simply manage its effects.
He emphasised the complexity of the issue, with causes ranging from mental and physical health to structural inequality and a lack of affordable housing. Current solutions are often fragmented and short-term. The Charter seeks to improve coordination, strengthen data and measurement, drive innovation, expand social housing, support victims, and address underlying health and employment barriers.
“Providing people the keys to a flat is not ending homelessness. Three out of five people this year who were given council flats are now sleeping rough again.” – Keith Brockbank
Polly Neate then shared a wealth of sobering statistics. While rough sleeping is difficult to measure, it’s estimated that around 5,000 people sleep rough every night, a number that has doubled since 2021. But this is only the visible tip of a much larger crisis: over 300,000 people, including around 170,000 children, live in temporary accommodation that is often insecure, unsuitable, and unsafe. Meanwhile, 1.3 million people remain on waiting lists for social housing.
Polly explained that while the detail is complex, the root cause is simple: people on low incomes cannot afford a decent place to live. Poor housing conditions in turn fuel wider problems — ill health, poor educational outcomes, unemployment — creating a vicious cycle that is almost impossible to escape without stable housing.
Local authorities are caught in a “disaster cycle,” forced to spend vast sums managing crises rather than preventing them. The UK currently spends £35.3 billion per year on housing benefit — a figure driven higher by limited supply and rising rents — plus billions more on related costs to health, education, and employment.
The need to break this cycle through greater housing investment is clear. While the government’s proposed £39 billion housing investment over 10 years is welcome, it is roughly equivalent to one year’s current housing benefit bill. Polly made a compelling case that investing in affordable housing is not only morally essential but also financially sound.
She also stressed that Cambridge, as a leading growth centre, must act now to ensure a flourishing, inclusive, and united community. As Julian noted, the local housing allowance in Cambridge is so low that no properties currently available for rent fall within its limits — an unsustainable situation.
“Homelessness is at such an appalling level in this country, because if you are on a low income, you cannot afford a decent home. That’s the fact.” – Polly Neate
Bringing optimism and innovation to the discussion, Mitch Greenham shared how Beam.org is harnessing technology to deliver scalable employment and housing support that helps people break free from homelessness. Beam’s holistic approach has enabled 93% of clients to secure suitable housing and maintain their tenancy for over 12 months.
Their use of technology has allowed the organisation to scale rapidly, helping over 6,000 people across the UK into secure homes and stable employment. Some of their methods — especially those helping caseworkers support clients more effectively — are now being used to assist local social care providers, reducing administrative time by around 66%. Mitch also emphasised that while AI can be a valuable tool, human empathy and personal contact remain irreplaceable in creating lasting change.
“Technology can take you most of the way, but it should never replace human judgement...what AI is really about is freeing up time — time for caseworkers to look clients in the eye, put the pen and paper down, and truly listen.” – Mitch Greenham
The session concluded with excellent audience engagement, though time ran out before all questions could be addressed. Topics ranged from how to influence government, to comparisons between rough sleeping in the UK and US, to the relationship between domestic abuse, unemployment, and homelessness.
The panel closed by underscoring the need to make policymakers understand that tackling homelessness is not only vital for a thriving society — but that investing in housing pays back surprisingly quickly.
A huge thank you to Sonita Alleyne and Jesus College for hosting such an insightful and thought-provoking session.
