GM Integrated Rehabilitation Services - Accommodation Pathways Support

As part of Justice Devolution arrangements between Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) and Her Majesty's Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS), it has been agreed that HMPPS will devolve their national 'Dynamic Commissioning Framework' responsibilities for commissioning of services through to GMCA.

The devolved approach for Greater Manchester is entitled 'Greater Manchester Integrated Rehabilitative Services' (GMIRS). This approach is designed to offer a less structured and more locally tailored interventions which will draw on the experience, innovation and skill within the private and voluntary, community and social enterprise sectors (VCSE), to provide effective rehabilitation and resettlement services that address criminogenic needs unmet by NPS through their programmes, Accredited Programmes, Unpaid Work and Structured Interventions.

The Integrated Resettlement Accommodation Service does not directly provide accommodation but supports individuals to prevent loss of tenancy or stable Page 4 to 8 accommodation, or to achieve safe and stable accommodation via existing pathways.

The scarcity of accommodation is acknowledged as a real challenge in achieving settled and sustainable outcomes for individuals. GMCA and HMPPS have developed a person-centred support model for people who are homeless or at higher risk of homelessness upon release from prison. By providing a skilled case management service for individuals from custody into the community, we seek to deliver a preventive model and reduce the likelihood of both reoffending and homelessness. Of greatest risk to the individual, and potentially the public, is rough sleeping, a form of homelessness that must be avoided.

Following a competitive procurement process in 2021, Ingeus UK was contracted to deliver these services. To address rising demand, GMCA has decided to allocate additional funding for FY25/26.