Bournemouth, Christchurch, Poole | Posted on August 12th, 2026 | return to news

BCP Council using pioneering data-led approach to prevent homelessness

Technology, for all its ubiquity, can seem a menace or obstacle when locals are crying out for support.

Yet, for families facing uncertainty, the right support at the right time can make all the difference, helping them stay in their homes and avoid homelessness altogether. In the BCP area, technology is coming together to make that support available earlier.

BCP Council recently welcomed partners from the Royal Foundation’s Homewards programme, Bloomberg Associates and the University of Auckland to share how a pioneering, data-led approach could help prevent homelessness before it happens, changing lives by offering support earlier, when it matters most.

BCP is among a small number of places in the UK using this type of advanced data approach in homelessness prevention. By bringing together data, frontline expertise and strong partnerships, the programme is helping to:

Identify where local systems are under strain.
Understand demand.
Identify people at risk much sooner.

All so practical help can be offered before problems escalate into crisis.

In BCP, around 1,000 households approach services each year, often facing complex challenges across housing, health and social care. This work is about changing that story, shifting the focus from responding in crisis to intervening earlier and preventing homelessness altogether.

Cllr Kieron Wilson, Cabinet Member for Housing and Regulatory Services, said:

“Every person and family deserves the security of a safe and stable home. This work is about strengthening our focus on prevention, using data and strong partnerships to make sure we’re supporting people earlier, before challenges become crises.

“We’re proud to be working alongside national and international partners on something that will make a real difference here in BCP, helping ensure fewer people ever face homelessness.”

The programme is part of the Royal Foundation’s Homewards initiative, a five-year ambition to show that homelessness can be made rare, brief and unrepeated through locally led action and national collaboration.

In BCP, the work focuses on young people and families most at risk. By mapping how people move through local services and spotting issues in local systems, partners are designing a more joined-up system that enables earlier, more targeted support.

Commenting on the approach, Sarah Chamberlain, Director of IT and Programmes at BCP Council, said: “We’re bringing together data from across housing, health and wider council services to build a clearer picture of where risk is emerging and who may need support.”

“This kind of joined-up, predictive approach is still new in the UK, but the need has never been greater. By using data in this way, we can make better decisions, target support where it will have the most impact, and ultimately improve outcomes for our residents.”

And, Ben Tomlin, Head of Housing Options and Partnerships, said: “Last year, our Early Prevention Team supported over 1,500 households, providing practical help when it mattered most. This work will take us even further, helping us identify people before the earliest signs of crisis, so we can step in sooner and prevent homelessness altogether.”

We look forward to seeing some of the results in the coming months.