Our Communications Director Catherine Martin and Marketing & Events Coordinator Matty Bower were treated to a tour of St Basils’ innovative new affordable accommodation scheme on William Booth Lane in Birmingham City Centre.
For just £400 per month including bills, residents aged 18-25 at Live & Work Birmingham benefit from:
🛏️ A private newly furnished en-suite room
🍳Communal cooking and social spaces
💻 Work from Home space
📍Central location just a short walk from Snow Hill Station
📆A tenancy of up to 2-years
🤝 Employment support
With Birmingham rents now averaging over £1,000 a month before bills, Live & Work gives young people a chance to live independently and save for the future while establishing their careers – and prevent homelessness.
Barrie Hodge, Head of Fundraising & Communications at St Basils, said: “We already have a Live & Work centre in Sandwell which has been an incredible success, and we wanted to roll it out in Birmingham so that young people on lower wages can thrive in the city.”
Catherine Martin said: As long-time supporters of St Basils we are proud to look forward to support this initiative that demonstrates how affordable housing, employment and partnership working can combine to create lasting change for young people.”
Why initiatives like Live & Work matter
Birmingham is the youngest city in Europe, with 36% of its population under the age of 25 and 34% of young people likely to go into higher education. Despite this, it is extremely difficult for young people to live independently in the city without significant financial support – often from parents.
Research shows that nearly two-thirds of first-time buyers receive help from family, with average contributions exceeding £30,000. At the same time, 20% of people facing homelessness are in work, and 38% of Universal Credit claimants are employed, highlighting the growing issue of in-work poverty. Birmingham City Council currently has 23,000 people on its housing waiting list.
St Basils created the Live & Work model to address these challenges directly – providing housing that enables young people to live, earn, learn and work, without having to navigate the benefits system and creating clear pathways into employment for those furthest from the labour market.
A proven model with real impact
Since opening Phase 1 in Sandwell in 2015, Live & Work has supported 170 young people, with none returning to homelessness or claiming benefits. The scheme has demonstrated a £14 return on investment for every £1 spent.
Phase 2 opened in Sandwell in April 2024, delivering 54 additional self-contained one-bedroom homes, further strengthening the model and contributing to the West Midlands Combined Authority’s ambition to ‘design out homelessness’.
https://stbasils.org.uk/projects/birmingham-live-work/
