Oxford City Council has highlighted progress made in preventing homelessness and supporting people experiencing homelessness and rough sleeping during 2025/26 in a new report.
The ‘Annual Review of the Housing, Homelessness & Rough Sleeping Strategy 2023-28’ includes measures such as the agreement for a new £32m investment into additional Temporary Accommodation stock in this year's budget. The work in the report is also helping inform the new Oxfordshire Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy for 2026–2028 which was presented to Cabinet.
The report demonstrated that preventing homelessness remains a key priority of the Council, with nearly 60% of cases where people were threatened with homelessness ending positively during the year.
Echoing the vision of providing “Great Homes for All” the affordable housing supply programme is forecast to deliver 1,632 affordable, sustainable, homes over the current four-year period, exceeding the strategy target of 1,600 homes. Importantly, delivery of homes at social rent remains a key priority, with the programme currently forecasting 1,072 social rented homes, significantly above the target of 850.
The Council has also significantly increased the amount of temporary accommodation it owns or has under long-term lease. Its stock has grown considerably from roughly 100 units in 2023 to approximately 275, helping reduce reliance on expensive hotel and bed and breakfast accommodation. The £32 million investment agreed in this year’s budget has also enabled the Council to ensure use of hotels and B&Bs for families has remained under six weeks during the past year.
The Council and its partners have also continued to develop a housing-led approach to supporting people experiencing homelessness. This includes:
- increasing access to accommodation in the private rented sector
- growing ‘Housing First’ provision, and
- supporting people to move on from temporary and supported accommodation into settled homes.
Contracts are now in place to provide 58 ‘Housing First’ tenancies across Oxford, offering stable homes in the community alongside intensive support for some of the city's most vulnerable residents.
The Council also highlighted how Landlord Services has been redesigned, with a new staffing structure and area-based operating model designed to improve local accountability and responsiveness. Resident engagement has been strengthened through the new ‘Resident Involvement and Engagement Strategy 2025–2028’ and the establishment of a new Tenant and Leaseholder Board, giving residents a stronger voice in shaping housing services.
Looking ahead
Oxford City Council is also co-ordinating a new Oxfordshire Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy for 2026–2028, developed through the countywide partnership and informed by public consultation.
The refreshed strategy builds on the progress made since the original strategy was launched in 2021 while responding to continuing pressures including rising housing costs, increased use of temporary accommodation, shortages of affordable housing and increasingly complex needs among people experiencing homelessness.
A countywide partnership was established to drive the strategy, made up of the City, County and four district Councils and the Thames Valley Integrated Care Board.
The strategy sets out four priorities for the next two years:
- Prevention First – strengthening early intervention and preventing homelessness before crisis occurs.
- Housing-Led Approach – increasing access to settled housing and reducing reliance on temporary and supported accommodation.
- Person-Centred Approach – ensuring services respond to individual strengths, needs and aspirations.
- Strong Partnerships and System Change – strengthening collaboration across housing, health, social care, criminal justice and the voluntary sector.
The strategy was informed by a public consultation which received 136 responses, including 24 from people with lived experience of homelessness. More than 90% of respondents supported strengthening early intervention and prevention activity, while 93% agreed that stronger joint working between housing, health and social care is needed to tackle homelessness effectively.
Notes
- The Oxfordshire Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2026–2028
- Oxford City Council’s Housing, Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy annual review
Comment
“The provision of housing continues to be one of the biggest challenges facing us in Oxford with over 500 households placed into temporary accommodation in 2025/6, and over 4,000 people in need of social housing. However this report highlights the real progress we are making to prevent homelessness, provide better accommodation and help people move towards settled homes.
“From expanding our own temporary accommodation to providing Housing First tenancies and strengthening our prevention services, we are investing in practical solutions that can make a lasting difference to people’s lives.
“Strong partnership working is essential when tackling challenges as prevalent as our housing crisis, which is why I’m pleased that we are also looking ahead through a new Oxfordshire-wide strategy, with prevention, housing and the experiences of people who have experienced homelessness at its heart.”
- Councillor Mike Rowley, Cabinet Member for Regulation of the Private Rented Sector and Preventing Homelessness
