Hope into Action: Where Homes and Churches Meet to End Homelessness

One morning in Peterborough, Ed Walker was playing with his daughter in a playground when he struck up a conversation with a man on a nearby bench. The man had left prison that morning. He had nowhere to go and no one to turn to, and he was already drinking his release money. Walker, back from nearly four years serving refugees in Darfur, was running three hostels for a local homelessness charity, so he promised to find the man a bed. But none of the hostels would take him, since he was either too old or an ex-offender, and nor would any service in nearby cities. Walker left feeling powerless. Then he noticed that half a dozen churches stood within a mile of the playground, full of people with skills and compassion. If they could be brought together, he reasoned, they could give someone like that man a home. That moment became Hope into Action. Ed and Rachel Walker bought the charity's first house in 2010. Today it operates in 39 locations across the UK, with 134 homes open and more in the pipeline.

Measurable Change The results bear the model out. In 2025–26, Hope into Action housed more than 500 people in a single year for the first time. Among tenants with a history of mental health problems, 90% said their situation had stabilised or improved. And according to Percent For Good, 94% of tenants who had served custodial sentences did not return to prison, a striking figure given where the charity's story began. Numbers tell only part of the story. The charity recently described how its head of operations, Mark, met a man named David over coffee and learned that David had once volunteered to befriend one of its early tenants in Peterborough. Twelve years later, long after the tenant had moved on, the two were still meeting up. A house can end someone's homelessness, but community helps them stay home. Getting Help and Getting Involved Hope into Action offers supported accommodation, not emergency housing. Assessment usually takes a few weeks and includes at least two face-to-face meetings. Referrals generally come through support agencies, though individuals can self-refer, and the charity receives more referrals than it has homes. Anyone needing urgent help is pointed to Shelter, and concerns about someone sleeping rough in England or Wales can be reported to StreetLink. Churches, investors, volunteers and donors can all play a part, and the charity's new Community Connect initiative aims to widen its relationship-building work still further. Hope into Action is part of Percent For Good's Cost of Living Crisis Cause Portfolio, a group of five forward-thinking charities helping people across the UK cope with the impact of rising living costs. Alongside FoodCycle, Little Village, Magic Breakfast and The Childhood Trust, it stands out for efficiency, with 98% of funds directly deployed to charitable activity. As rising rents and bills push more households towards the edge, its combination of stable homes, ethical investment and lasting friendship offers a powerful response.