This final financial analysis of the VOICES programme in Stoke-on-Trent demonstrates the transformative power of lived experience leadership and Expert Citizens in contributing to the reduction of both human and system costs associated with multiple disadvantage.
At the heart of the project was a commitment to centring people with lived experience as agents of change. Expert Citizens were not only participants but co-producers, peer researchers, and system influencers, shaping how services engage with individuals facing homelessness, substance misuse, offending and poor mental health. Their involvement ensured that support was relational, trusted and responsive—enabling people to stabilise their lives, build confidence, and re-engage with services on their own terms.
The report provides compelling economic evidence for this approach. In the first 12 months of coordinated, person-centred support, 116 individuals experienced substantial reductions in crisis service use—including arrests, A&E attendance, and
