One Year On: Celebrating Our London Homelessness Awards Win and the London Lettings Network
November 28, 2025
This time last year, Housing Justice won the London Homelessness Awards for a project that is transforming access to the private rented sector for people experiencing homelessness: the London Lettings Network.
The idea for the Network was born from what our staff witnessed in a night shelter in winter 2022. Three young people were sitting in the kitchen searching for housing on mainstream sites like Rightmove and SpareRoom – platforms that simply aren’t designed for people relying solely on housing benefit. Enquiries went unanswered, messages ignored. The system wasn’t built for them.
For decades, homelessness organisations have relied on individual, often secretive contacts for landlords. These lists were protected to avoid losing rare opportunities for clients. But this system creates huge inequalities. Access to a home was determined not by need, but by contacts.
We knew things had to change.
The London Lettings Network is our solution. It’s the first platform of its kind to bring together, in one place, rental properties across London that accept housing benefit. Updated five days a week and listing more than 150 properties daily, the Network removes the need for insider knowledge or special relationships with landlords. Caseworkers and clients can search by Local Housing Allowance rate, see what’s available in real time, and contact agents directly.
Crucially, it gives agency back to people experiencing homelessness. Clients can search for properties themselves when it suits them, rather than relying solely on caseworkers to pass on opportunities.
Winning the London Homelessness Awards recognised both the scale of the problem and the significance of this solution. One year on, the London Lettings Network continues to grow, supporting organisations across the capital and creating a fairer, more transparent route into housing.
Watch the video below to learn more about the impact of the London Lettings Network.
