Case Study: Elmbridge Rentstart achieves rapid growth and a more-than-threefold income increase with Homeless Link's Future Ready support

PRS access and more for people who become homeless in Surrey

Rentstart (Elmbridge Rentstart), a small Surrey-based rent deposit and homelessness support project, faced limited capacity, narrow funding and a revolving-door problem for single people experiencing homelessness. With staff stretched and little fundraising expertise, they needed help to grow, diversify income and develop services; Homeless Link’s Future Ready Fund (Homelessness Transition Fund) provided the opportunity to apply for targeted development support.

Homeless Link awarded a £25,000 Future Ready grant to fund capacity building—external fundraising support, increased staff hours, training and partnership development—which enabled Rentstart to scale services such as Rentstart Rescue and lead a local winter night shelter. The result was a rise in annual income from £60,000 to £200,000, additional awards including an HTF main grant of £58,000 and Surrey Homelessness Allowance (£25,000 over two years for 20 extra private rented sector placements per year), plus expanded pre-tenancy training, employment coaching and more sustained outcomes for clients. Homeless Link’s funding and support were explicitly credited with transforming Rentstart into a larger, more sustainable local service.

Rentstart