Offender services

Each year we work with more than 9,000 prisoners and ex-offenders, helping them to make real and positive change in their lives.

Going to prison can cause the loss of a home, possessions, job and relationship with family and friends. Our statistics show that 45% of our clients are ex-offenders.

What we do

Prison and community based advice

Our Offender Services team has been providing support in prisons for almost 20 years. We run services commissioned under the “transforming rehabilitation” initiative by the Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRC), offering housing advice and support in 14 prisons: 13 in London and one in Hertfordshire.

These provide advice and guidance on all housing matters including tenancy rescue, and support to find and access accommodation for people who would otherwise be homeless on release from prison, and help accessing benefits available to them.

Our Feltham education, training and employment service

This is a service which supports young offenders in Feltham Prison to access training and work opportunities upon their release, while linking in with the existing housing advice team within the prison. The aim is to address their housing needs and to support them as they move to living independently.

Our work in action

Beyond prisons, we work with ex offenders and probation services in Hertfordshire, Bristol, Bath and South Gloucestershire, and outreach services in Westminster. Our services include:

  • Accommodation for ex offenders: we offer accommodation such as hostels or semi independent housing in areas such as Hackney and Haringey. We provide support and help in their recovery
  • The Date Palm project: a partnership between St Mungo's, the National Zakat Foundation and the Better Community Business Network to provide faith-sensitive supported housing for young male Muslim prison leavers in a large shared house
  • HARP Connect: thanks to funding from London Councils, we work across London offering Housing, Advice, Resettlement and Prevention services to ex-offenders who are homeless or at risk of losing their home. The staff offer support to clients and a “through the gate” service - meeting people when they leave prison, promoting a smooth transition back into communities. The team provide specialist intervention, advocacy and housing advice promoting the wellbeing and interests of individuals with protected characteristics, those with no recourse to public funds and those experiencing mental health or substance use issues