The primary objective of the Homelessness and Housing Support Guidelines 2025 (2025 Guidelines) is to establish the necessary requirements for delivering funded homelessness activities in Victoria, ensuring consistency and high-quality service delivery among Specialist Homelessness Services (SHS).
1. Glossary
The glossary contains definitions of key terms that frequently appear in the Homelessness and Housing Support Guidelines.
2. Introduction
The Homelessness and Housing Support Guidelines 2025 (2025 guidelines) define the terms for organisations that deliver homelessness services funded by the Victorian state government (state government). They are clear guidelines for services to assist people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
The 2025 guidelines supersede the previous version from May 2014. It was known as the Homelessness Services Guidelines and Conditions of Funding.
The main aim of the 2025 guidelines is to establish the requirements for funded homelessness activities in Victoria. This will ensure consistent and high-quality service delivery among specialist homelessness services (SHS).
2.1 How to use these guidelines
Use the 2025 guidelines with the service agreement that every SHS has with the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (the department). See Figure 1 below.
The service agreement outlines the legislative requirements that each SHS must follow. It has a list of program requirements. These include complying with the Social Services Standards set by the Social Services Regulation Act 2021.
Each organisation’s service agreement includes the 2025 guidelines and specific program guidelines.
Figure 1
To effectively implement the 'Homelessness services guidelines 2025' the requirements that must be met, include: legislative frameworks; social services regular requirements; and policy requirements.
The guidelines document must be considered alongside the organisations 'service agreement with DFFH'. The requirements within this agreement that must be met, include: funding terms and conditions; performance requirements; and compliance obligations.
Additionally, there are operational program guidelines that sit within each of the following nine functions. Each of these guidelines will be reviewed at the scheduled time over a 5 year period. They sit within each of the following nine functions:
- Initial Assessment and Planning
- Flexible Funding
- Support to Establish and Sustain Tenancies
- Client Support and Case Management
- Staffed Accommodation
- Transitional Housing and Tenancy Administration
- Capital Grants
- Homelessness System Enablers; and
- Essential Needs Centres and Mobile Drop in Centres
The Homelessness operational program guidelines page summarises the schedule for operational program guidelines to be reviewed, by function.
The Homelessness and Housing Support Guidelines 2025 are complemented by the program guidelines, which provide comprehensive direction on program requirements, eligibility and access, components, stakeholders and data collection and reporting, which all funded organisations are required to follow.
They serve as the definitive reference for all aspects of program delivery. Each set of program guidelines correspond to one of the nine homelessness functions.