An innovative partnership helping families living in temporary accommodation has been recognised at the London Homelessness Awards 2026, receiving a Highly Commended award for its collaborative approach to improving access to support.
The Edge Advice Drop-in, based at the Edge Youth Hub in Hackney, brings together partners from Hackney Council, the NHS and the voluntary and community sector to provide joined-up, face-to-face advice for families with children living in temporary accommodation.
Held every fortnight, the drop-in enables families to access help with housing, benefits, debt, GP registration, health visiting, council tax and local children’s and family services in one welcoming place. By bringing organisations together, families no longer have to navigate multiple services or repeat their story to different agencies.
Since launching in November 2024, the service has supported almost 200 families, helping to resolve 85 individual issues across its first ten sessions.
The judges recognised the project’s collaborative approach to tackling one of London’s most pressing challenges. Hackney has one of the highest numbers of households living in temporary accommodation in the capital, with thousands of children growing up without a permanent home. While councils have a duty to provide accommodation, the wider support families need often falls across multiple organisations, making it difficult to access at a time of significant stress.
The Edge Advice Drop-in was developed through a test-and-learn approach, with families and frontline practitioners helping to shape the service from the outset. Its success is built on strong relationships between organisations, creating a trusted space where families can receive coordinated support tailored to their individual needs.
Simon Dow chaired the judging panel. He said: “We were delighted with the huge range of achievements showcased by the six projects on the shortlist, and as always it was difficult to decide on the prize winners. Each project made a presentation to the judging panel and all were powerful – a real reminder of the vibrancy of the homelessness sector in London.”
Hannah Addison Kay , System Convener, Strategy, Policy & Community Partnerships at the London Borough of Hackney, said: “We’re delighted that the Edge Advice Drop-in has been recognised in this way. This achievement reflects the dedication of everyone involved – council teams, NHS colleagues and voluntary sector partners – who have worked together to make sure families in temporary accommodation get the support they need, when they need it, in one place. Hackney remains committed to strengthening this kind of joined-up, relationship-based support, and to improving outcomes for families facing housing insecurity.”
Claire Lindsey, CEO at Hackney Playbus, who work closely with the Edge, said: “Families in temporary accommodation should not have to fight their way through complex systems to get the support they are entitled to. The Edge Advice Drop-In shows the value of working together across sectors, bringing services into the community and responding to the very real barriers homeless families face in accessing support. We hope recognition from the London Homelessness Awards encourages more services to work in this way, so that families can get the support they need without having to navigate complex systems alone.”
Rebecca Daniels, Neighbourhood Integration Lead in Woodberry Wetlands said: “The TA Advice Drop in at The Edge, is truly deserving of this commendation. The collaborative neighbourhood working delivers individualised targeted support for vulnerable families. The team always bring energy, play and joy, to individuals and families, significantly changing the lives of those who attend. Critically, their escalation of emerging key themes, influence wider system change, and continues to improve longer term outcomes for families in TA. Congratulations to the entire team for this well-deserved recognition!”