Phoenix Futures

Phoenix Futures Phoenix Futures is a charity and housing association providing services for people affected by substance use We expanded and opened more houses in the 1980s.

The UK's first 'Phoenix House' opened its doors in London in 1969, offering Therapeutic Community (TC) based residential rehabilitation. Throughout the 1970s the Phoenix House TC programme adapted and modernised, becoming less rigid and adding Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) based group work to the programme. In the early 1990s, a large increase in funding for the substance use field focussed on HIV prevention. Many of the resulting services were harm reduction based. The first shift in approach came with the opening of the Fountain Project in 1994, an HIV/AIDS palliative care unit in South London. This service took clients on methadone prescriptions for the duration of their stay. From this point on the organisation began to embrace services for people who were trying to abstain, but were not quite at the point of actually achieving it. As these abstinence-oriented services expanded we won prison contracts where the goal of treatment was abstinence but the clients themselves were more ambivalent. As we developed more Tier 3 structured day services, commissioners increasingly asked us to add open access or Tier 2 elements to our provision. Initially, we embraced Tier 2 work that provided open access/entry points to the treatment system. With good services and strong local leadership we expanded into harm reduction. This has become the third stage of the organisation's evolution, so that we now deliver abstinence based, abstinence oriented and harm reduction services. We have always believed that people who use our services are individuals and that the recovery process for each person is different. We will use whatever interventions and models of service delivery help them along their personal path of recovery. As one of the most diverse substance use organisations in the UK we take pride in our ability to support changed lives from the street through to resettlement.

Happy Easter from everyone at Phoenix Futures!
05/04/2026

Happy Easter from everyone at Phoenix Futures!

England’s residential rehab system has quietly halved over the last decade.Placements are down, services are shrinking, ...
01/04/2026

England’s residential rehab system has quietly halved over the last decade.

Placements are down, services are shrinking, and access increasingly depends on where you live.

At Phoenix Futures, we submitted FOI requests to every local authority in England to better understand what’s really happening behind the scenes.

What we found:
〰️ Only 1% of people in treatment access residential rehab
〰️ Around 30% of areas have no dedicated rehab budget
〰️ £5 million goes unspent every year
〰️ Access varies dramatically depending on postcode

What's the result? A system where life-saving treatment can feel like a lottery.

We’re sharing this to bring greater transparency, spark conversation, and help rebuild a stronger, fairer treatment system, read the full blog here: https://zurl.co/SZmwF

Today we honour trans people everywhere. Their courage, their identity and their right to be seen and supported. At Phoe...
31/03/2026

Today we honour trans people everywhere. Their courage, their identity and their right to be seen and supported. At Phoenix, everyone deserves safety, dignity and a place to belong.

'As the Senior Nurse for Phoenix, based at our Wirral Residential Service, I’ve worked closely with residents whose phys...
26/03/2026

'As the Senior Nurse for Phoenix, based at our Wirral Residential Service, I’ve worked closely with residents whose physical health needs were complex, urgent, and often frightening to navigate alone.

I see firsthand how deeply medical issues can affect someone’s confidence, dignity, and their ability to stay focused on recovery.'

We often talk about “integrated care” as if it’s something abstract like a model, a system, or a way of working.

But for the people experiencing it, it’s something much more personal.

👉 Read our latest blog here: https://zurl.co/PzyVA

To everyone celebrating Eid, we wish you a day filled with love, laughter, and togetherness. 🌙✨
20/03/2026

To everyone celebrating Eid, we wish you a day filled with love, laughter, and togetherness. 🌙✨

For many people, neurodivergence and drug and alcohol use are deeply connected.When the world feels overwhelming, substa...
19/03/2026

For many people, neurodivergence and drug and alcohol use are deeply connected.

When the world feels overwhelming, substances can become a way to cope, so this Neurodiversity Celebration Week, we’re recognising those experiences and celebrating the amazing neurodivergent people in our communities. 💛

https://zurl.co/t3KhA

For Mother's day, Harper House hosted a special Mother’s Day tea, bringing together the community for an afternoon of ce...
15/03/2026

For Mother's day, Harper House hosted a special Mother’s Day tea, bringing together the community for an afternoon of celebration 🍰🌸☕

Why do so many people die in Scotland of drug and alcohol related issues?Behind the statistics are preventable deaths an...
12/03/2026

Why do so many people die in Scotland of drug and alcohol related issues?

Behind the statistics are preventable deaths and systems that too often fail people when they need help the most. Scotland continues to experience some of the highest drug-related death rates in Europe, while alcohol-related deaths have also risen to their highest levels in years.

In light of the Scottish Government’s new 9-year Alcohol and Drug Strategic Plan, Karen Biggs, CEO of Phoenix Futures, reflects on what must change and why treatment, recovery support and compassion must be at the heart of the response.

Read our latest blog here: https://zurl.co/aQIKc

Why aren’t more women accessing residential treatment?At our Glasgow service, admissions of women have fallen by 50% sin...
10/03/2026

Why aren’t more women accessing residential treatment?

At our Glasgow service, admissions of women have fallen by 50% since 2022.

Many women face barriers long before they reach treatment.
Fear of losing their children.
Fear of judgement.
Fear of what rehab might look like.

But residential treatment doesn’t have to mean separation or shame. Family services can support mothers and children together while women access the help they need. By challenging stigma and misconceptions, we can help more women take those first steps

Read our latest blog here: https://zurl.co/NlPKh

This International Women’s Day, we’re sharing Kirsty's story.Kirsty’s journey hasn’t been easy. But through recovery she...
08/03/2026

This International Women’s Day, we’re sharing Kirsty's story.

Kirsty’s journey hasn’t been easy. But through recovery she rebuilt relationships, rediscovered the things she loves, and now uses her lived experience to support others facing similar struggles.

“Really just push through that initial fear. Don’t let that be a barrier. Because it’s nowhere near as bad as what you’re already going through.”

Read her story here: https://zurl.co/3KFaS

This International Women’s Day, we’re reflecting on the power of giving to gain.When we give support, compassion and und...
08/03/2026

This International Women’s Day, we’re reflecting on the power of giving to gain.

When we give support, compassion and understanding, we help create space for women to rebuild, recover and thrive. And in return, we gain stronger communities, powerful voices and lasting change.

Today we celebrate the women who give so much of themselves to support others. 💜

✨ World Book Day 2026 ✨Harper House (our specialist family service in Scotland) had the most wonderful, literacy‑rich en...
06/03/2026

✨ World Book Day 2026 ✨
Harper House (our specialist family service in Scotland) had the most wonderful, literacy‑rich environment to celebrate World Book Day. The children were immersed in stories all day long, the staff dressed up in fantastic costumes, and they even enjoyed a cosy teddy bears’ picnic at lunchtime.

📚🐻✨
Here are some snapshots from the day!

Address

68 Newington Causeway
London
SE16DF

Telephone

+442072349740

Website

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Our Story

The UK's first 'Phoenix House' opened its doors in London in 1969, offering Therapeutic Community (TC) based residential rehabilitation. Throughout the 1970s the Phoenix House TC programme adapted and modernised, becoming less rigid and adding Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) based group work to the programme. We expanded and opened more houses in the 1980s. In the early 1990s, a large increase in funding for the substance misuse field focussed on HIV prevention. Many of the resulting services were harm reduction-based. Phoenix House decided not to get involved in such activity as it contradicted the mission and competencies of the organisation. Our services were abstinence-based, for clients who wanted to be 'clean' and had stopped taking illegal drugs before they walked through the door. The first shift in approach came with the opening of the Fountain Project in 1994, an HIV/AIDS palliative care unit in South London. This service took clients on methadone prescriptions for the duration of their stay. From this point on the organisation began to embrace services for people who were trying to abstain, but were not quite at the point of actually achieving it. As these abstinence-oriented services expanded we won prison contracts where the goal of treatment was abstinence but the clients themselves were more ambivalent. As we developed more Tier 3 structured day services, commissioners increasingly asked us to add open access or Tier 2 elements to our provision. Initially, we embraced Tier 2 work that provided open access/entry points to the treatment system, whilst continuing to avoid 'classic' harm reduction activities such as needle exchange. With good services and strong local leadership, we expanded into harm reduction. This has become the third stage of the organisation's evolution, so that we now deliver abstinence-based, abstinence oriented and harm reduction services. We have always believed that our service users are individuals and that the recovery process for each person is different. We will use whatever interventions and models of service delivery help them along their personal path of recovery. As one of the most diverse substance misuse organisations in the UK, we take pride in our ability to support changed lives from the street through to resettlement.