Improving housing for people with complex needs
Alcohol Change UK has published new national guidance to help local areas improve housing and support for people with alcohol dependency and complex needs. Two new guidance documents are now available online:
1. The Blue Light Approach: Improving accommodation options for people with alcohol dependency and complex needs. Part One: Main report and information guides. This report is aimed at commissioners, housing leads and service managers. It provides a clear framework for change and an Improvement Plan Audit Tool to help partnerships understand local need, identify gaps, and plan a more effective housing system.
2. The Blue Light Approach: Improving accommodation options for people with alcohol dependency and complex needs. Part Two: The law, benefits, and national guidance. This companion guide is written for frontline practitioners. It explains how housing law and the welfare benefits system can support people who are alcohol dependent to access and keep accommodation. It includes practical case studies and guidance on challenging unfair decisions.
Marking 10 years of the Blue Light Approach
To celebrate ten years of the Blue Light Approach, we’re hosting a special series of three webinars reflecting on its development, impact, and future. All three webinars are free to attend, and we welcome anyone interested in learning more about the Blue Light Approach.
Webinar 1: The Blue Light Approach – Origins and lessons learned
1 December, 12 pm to 1:30 pm
Join us as we look back at how the Blue Light Approach began, the ideas and evidence that shaped it, and what we’ve learned over the past decade about engaging and supporting adults experiencing alcohol-related harm.
Webinar 2: The Blue Light Approach in action – Learning from local projects
8 December, 12 pm to 1:30 pm
This session highlights the approach in practice, showcasing local projects that have used Blue Light principles to achieve positive outcomes. Mike Ward will be joined by practitioners to discuss what works, what’s changed, and how the approach has evolved across different contexts.
Webinar 3: The Blue Light Approach – Looking ahead
15 December, 12 pm to 1:30 pm
In this forward-looking session, we’ll explore the future of the Blue Light Approach, considering how it can respond to emerging challenges such as ageing populations, complex needs and service pressures.
A new multi-partner project – neurodiversity
There’s still time to register your interest in our new multi-partner Blue Light development project on identifying and addressing neurodiversity in the context of complex dependent drinking. Six partners have already committed to the project. Don’t miss your opportunity to take part.
The project will address a significant and possibly growing issue. It follows the model of our award-winning Blue Light Approach and our national work on safeguarding and cognitive impairment. Each participating area will contribute £5,950 (ex VAT) to support the work and, in return, receive a package of training, consultation, and practice development.
Each partner will receive:
- Membership of the national steering group
- A local development workshop with professionals and people with lived experience to explore the local impact
- A local online survey and summary report
- Access to a series of national webinars, which are only open to project partners
- Four half-day local training sessions
- Presentations to relevant local partnerships
This model is a cost effective way of developing understanding and delivering training on an underexplored area. If you want us to join the project and/or want the detailed project specification sent directly, please contact us – jane.gardiner@alcoholchange.org.uk.
Counting the economic cost of alcohol harm
The Institute of Public Policy Research, with the support of Alcohol Change UK, has published a new report, Taking stock: counting the economic costs of alcohol harm.
The report explores the impact of alcohol harm on the workplace and its effects on the UK workforce. The report’s opening chapter provides some useful data on alcohol harm generally and could be a useful reference document for people building the case for more and better alcohol services.
Cumbria Safeguarding Adults Board Thematic SAR regarding self-neglect
Cumbria Safeguarding Adults Board (CSAB) have published a thematic Safeguarding Adult Review which considers the circumstances of six adults who experienced self-neglect and sadly died.
Alcohol was a significant feature of the lives of three of the individuals: Paul, Julie and Bill. This is an important and insightful report which covers themes such as capacity, cognitive impairment, professional attitudes, and the challenges of engagement. The report, authored by Suzy Braye, will be helpful for those planning services and those developing alcohol training.
Online training sessions by Alcohol Change UK
Understanding addictive behaviours
10 am to 1 pm, Wednesday 10 December 2025
This course offers a clear overview of how addictive behaviours develop, highlighting the neuroscience and bio-psycho-social factors that drive habits and escalate them into problems. It aims to introduce key principles of behaviour change and practical wellbeing tools to support early intervention and sustainable change.
Alcohol related liver disease
9:30 am to 4 pm, Tuesday 27 January 2026
ARLD often carries significant emotional and social challenges for both patients and their families. This one-day course, delivered for you by a hepatology nurse, offers insight into the lived experience of ARLD and provides guidance on how to offer informed, compassionate support.
Talking about alcohol use: The attitudes of social work professionals and their clients
The Journal of Social Work Practice in the Addictions has published an article which explores the attitudes of social work professionals and their clients toward talking about alcohol use within the context of alcohol screening and counselling in social work.
The Dying Homeless Project
The Museum of Homelessness has published this year’s findings from its Dying Homeless Project investigation. They report that in 2024, at least 1,611 people died whilst homeless in the UK, a 9% increase since 2023 and the highest number of deaths since the project began in 2017.
In an accompanying statement, they say that: “The issue of homeless deaths is gradually becoming a priority for local and national systems. Many are now engaging, not only with the importance of recording and remembering those who die, but also in conducting learning reviews, commissioning activity and strategy development that specifically aims to prevent future tragedies. …this year’s findings tell us that more needs to be done in local systems to safeguard the most marginalised in our communities, and this change must be underpinned by government action on key issues of concern.
You can learn about the history of the project by visiting the Museum’s website: https://museumofhomelessness.org/dhp
The Compassionate Intervention Act
We have previously reported on overseas legislation aimed at protecting dependent substance users. In May 2025 the province of Alberta in Canada passed the Compassionate Intervention Act. This allows adult family members, guardians, healthcare professionals, police or peace officers to request a treatment order for those whose addiction or substance use has made them a danger to themselves or others. Eligible individuals will receive assessment, stabilisation, treatment and aftercare support.
The Act acknowledges that compassionate intervention is just one tool to help someone pursue recovery, and other options should be tried before someone is considered for compassionate intervention. To receive a care plan through compassionate intervention: An adult must be likely to cause substantial harm to themselves or others within a reasonable time due to their substance use or addiction.
The Alberta Recovery Model, which compassionate intervention is a part of, is built on the underlying belief that anyone struggling with mental health or addiction challenges deserves the opportunity to pursue recovery and live a purpose-filled life. No one should be left to overdose repeatedly, harm themselves or others, or potentially die because they have lost the capacity to get help for their substance use or addiction.