Former prime minister and retailers back Prince William’s homelessness project with furniture and essential goods

The new partnership builds on an Aberdeen-based “innovative housing” project that aimed to bring empty homes back into use for those at risk of homelessness.

This project showed that tenancy sustainment improves when residents are provided with furniture and essential goods, according to Homewards.

Mr Brown’s charity will now become an “activator” to support Homewards’ mission to make homelessness “rare, brief and unrepeated”, scaling up the Aberdeen model to all four UK nations.

Homewards and The Multibank have called on more businesses to join the project, having already secured the support of four retailers that will supply furniture and fittings to the initial 250 homes.

The former prime minister said his charity began based on the “conviction that surplus goods should never be wasted while families go without”.

"The Multibank is delighted to become a Homewards activator and we all look forward to working with Prince William and his Homewards team to provide safe and secure places, where we hope people can thrive," Mr Brown added.

Hazel Detsiny, executive director of homelessness at The Royal Foundation, said: “This partnership is a powerful example of major industry players – even competitors – coming together to tackle a pressing societal challenge.

“Homewards is looking to collaborate with businesses across all sectors to address the deeper causes of homelessness, including housing, financial stability and employment.”

Prince William’s Homewards project, launched in 2023, recently announced its intention to create 16 affordable homes in Lambeth for young adults at risk of or experiencing homelessness.

In February, Lloyds Banking Group committed to lending an initial £50m to the project.