Unlockahome Pitchdeck 2

Name:  Unlockahome

Website:

Business Description:  Unlockahome acts as a conduit for the provision of reasonably priced accommodation to pre-vetted prisoners upon release.

All Unlockahome candidates, prisoners and homeowners will go through suitability testing to ensure a safe and stable environment for all parties.

Unlockahome is an ethically orientated business, providing the community with a realistic opportunity to act for public good and to encourage integration and reduce reoffending.

The challenge:  In the UK there is currently an underlying problem due to lack of appropriate accommodation for prison leavers.

Statistics:

How many people get accommodation in hostels on release?  There are 101 hostels located in communities across England and Wales varying in size from 10-46 beds.  The Conditional Release Date Accommodation Scheme that ran during the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic May – August 2022 saw 140 ex-prisoners put up in hostels and bed-and-breakfasts at a cost of £8.5 million.  Gov.UK states approximately £20 million will be invested in supporting people on release into basic hostels for up to 12 weeks.

How many people reoffend after release? In England and Wales 25.6% of offenders who were released from custody in 2020/21 went on to reoffend.  In the UK 75% of ex-inmates reoffend within 9 years of release and 39.3% within the first 12 months.  In England and Wales 94% of prisoners serving sentences of under 6 months have at least one previous conviction and half have 15 or more.

How many people back on recall?  According to the Offender Management Statistics Bulletin, England and Wales, the population recalled to custody has increased by 17% relative to the total a year earlier.

Benefit:

• To the homeowner: They can benefit from the £7k tax allowance on rent and the potential not to have to pay bedroom tax.
• The government: In 2020-21 it cost £46,696 per prisoner. In January 2021 Gov.UK announced £70 million in accommodation and wider support for prison leavers.

Marketing: Animated prisoner stories will be released on social media

Team:  Business Club members (Idea originators) will have a stake in the company.

Demographic:  people aged 30-70 with available accommodation UK wide, able to adhere to clear and consistent boundaries

Partners:  The Prison Service, Probation Service, Ministry of Justice, Local Councils, RightMove, MPs

Funding needed:

• To monitor and produce a pilot report
• To set up an administrative team until such time as we could charge services for providing accommodation

Timeline:

As above

Summary:

Reoffending is causing more crime and more pressure on finance in the prison system.  Unlockahome would provide a much cheaper alternative, provide more bespoke reintegration and reduce the strain on society.