Our partner Centrepoint
Centrepoint delivers a comprehensive range of tailored, long-term support programmes to young people facing homelessness. These include initiatives to prevent young people becoming homeless in the first place and help for those in crisis.
Helping young people rebuild their lives
Every 4 minutes a young person faces homelessness. In the UK last year, 118,134 young people were homeless or at risk of homelessness. In 2024, Nationwide Fairer Futures partnered with Centrepoint to help tackle the issue.
Through our funding, Centrepoint provide tailored practical, emotional and financial support to help break the cycle of homelessness and support young people to find a place they can call their own.
Andrew shares his story in this video.
If you would like to learn more, visit the Centrepoint website (opens in a new window).
Show transcript
[00:15]
Andrew: Before I was at Centrepoint’s
[00:17]
Independent Living Programme
[00:18]
I was in supported housing,
[00:20]
where I had a lease, and that was ending.
[00:22]
I had to find other accommodation.
[00:24]
My housing benefit entitlement wasn’t enough
[00:27]
to help me pay the rent.
[00:29]
It was a tough time because
[00:30]
it was either my apprenticeship,
[00:33]
or cancelling it and basically being on Universal Credit.
[00:36]
It even affected my standard of living,
[00:37]
I wasn’t eating as much,
[00:39]
Because 70%, 80% of my wages was rent.
[00:42]
Because me working and doing my apprenticeship,
[00:45]
I was in a worse position than
[00:47]
my peers that were doing nothing.
[00:49]
And it’s like, you’re trapped.
[00:56]
My key worker found Centrepoint,
[00:57]
and I went through a series of questions…
[01:00]
About my apprenticeship, about myself.
[01:02]
And yeah, a couple of weeks later
[01:04]
I found myself at Reuben House.
[01:06]
It did feel like a relief because it really helped me.
[01:09]
Rent at Centrepoint’s Independent Living
[01:11]
was capped at one third of my wages,
[01:13]
so that I was actually able to do stuff
[01:16]
that some of my peers were doing already.
[01:18]
It also made me know that my work wasn’t going in vain.
[01:22]
I was actually working and enjoying the fruits of my labour,
[01:26]
whilst also knowing that I was going to get a career
[01:27]
out of my apprenticeship.
[01:29]
There’s a community here
[01:32]
where you’re around other young people.
[01:33]
All similar stories, but you’re unique in your own way.
[01:38]
And you just make friends amongst
[01:40]
your differences but similarities,
[01:43]
and I think that was special.
[01:45]
One of my biggest accountability partners is my late father.
[01:49]
Everything I do in life is to try and make him proud.
[01:53]
I am now in my own property,
[01:56]
where I’m safe, secure and grateful.
[02:06]
I don’t know what the future holds,
[02:09]
But the future’s looking bright.
How Fairer Futures has made a difference
Through our funding in year one:
£289,000
in grants have been given to help refurbish rooms, secure rent deposits and provide household items.
1,627
homeless young people were supported with a safe space to rebuild their lives.
100%
of beneficiaries from Making Renting Work said it helped them secure a home of their own.
3,500 homeless young people will be supported to take steps towards independence and a home of their own. Our aim is to enable them to have a home where they feel safe, where they belong and where they can rebuild their lives.
How Fairer Futures and Centrepoint support young people
Centrepoint supports young people facing homelessness with grants and programmes to help them rebuild their lives. Their support helps young people to overcome the barriers to living independently and secure a space to call home.
Funding Centrepoint programmes
Since 2024, Nationwide Fairer Futures has funded Centrepoint's life-changing programmes. These programmes give homeless young people a safe space of their own and the support they need to move on from homelessness.
Stepping Stone Homes
A ground-breaking independent living programme to fund truly affordable new homes for young people who have faced homelessness. Residents pay rent capped at a third of their salary, so they can afford to make ends meet and save for the future, breaking the cycle of homelessness.
More Than a Roof
Refurbishing homes and creating safe spaces for homeless young people so they can be themselves and rebuild their lives. It does this in 3 ways:
- Transformations: refurbishing homes owned by Centrepoint.
- Partner Grants: a grant programme that gives Centrepoint's national network of smaller youth homelessness charities funds to personalise their spaces.
- Style My Space: similar to Partner Grants, except these funds are for young people in Centrepoint accommodation.
Making Renting Work
Deposits and support for homeless young people who are ready to leave supported homes and move into the private rental sector. It helps them find the right accommodation and look forward to an independent future.
Donate to Centrepoint
Make a donation on the Centrepoint website. Make a donation today and help us end youth homelessness.
Nationwide Fairer Futures charity partners
Our charity partners also include Action for Children, Dementia UK and The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity.
Working with our charity partners, we are helping to tackle some of the biggest issues we see in society today. We will make a difference to some of the most vulnerable people in our communities.
Action for Children – helping families living in poverty
31% of children in the UK are living in poverty.
Action for Children helps families through crisis, and campaigns for an end to child poverty and hardship.
Dementia UK – supporting those with dementia
1 in 2 people will be affected by dementia in their lifetime.
Dementia UK is the specialist dementia nursing charity. Its specialist nurses, known as Admiral Nurses, provide free, tailored advice and support to help families care for their loved one and ensure no one faces dementia alone.
The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity – supporting people affected by cancer
1 in 2 of us will be diagnosed with cancer in our lifetime.
We want to support people affected by cancer in the best possible way. That's why we've partnered with The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity with the aim to achieve breakthroughs in cancer treatment.