Prince William says Homewards has helped thousands avoid homelessness

Prince William marked the third year of the royal-backed Homewards initiative, saying it has already helped thousands of people avoid homelessness. Launched in June 2023, the five-year programme aims to prevent housing loss through support, funding and mentoring rather than only after a crisis.

Homewards operates in six places: Aberdeen; Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole; Lambeth in London; Newport; Northern Ireland; and Sheffield. It provides up to £500,000 of funding for each location and wants all six areas on a path toward ending homelessness by 2028. The Royal Foundation’s aim is to make homelessness “rare, brief and unrepeated,” and the initiative has been built around a mix of accommodation, finance and job placement rather than a single fix.

Lloyds Banking Group said in March 2025 that it would provide an initial £50 million of new lending to support small and medium-sized housing providers and charities delivering more homes, including accommodation with wrap-around support. Ikea has also partnered with the programme.

On its second anniversary in June 2025, the programme had convened 539 individuals and organisations across the six locations, created a pipeline of nearly 100 homes and driven more than 100 local initiatives. It had invested £1.9 million through the Homewards Fund and leveraged another £3.5 million through grants and private philanthropy.

William said his interest in homelessness began when he was a child and visited a shelter with Princess Diana. The programme has since added Upstream England, an early-intervention school pilot aimed at identifying young people most at risk of becoming homeless. William has also said he would sell off parts of his inherited estate to invest in affordable homes.