You see a prison cell with a bed ?
A calendar pinned to a wall ?
One date is circled in red ?
You might think:
That’s the day someone gets out. The day they go home.
A day of freedom.
But what if that red circle isn’t hope?
What if it’s a countdown to homelessness.
Most people have dates on their calendars that mark milestones –
a birthday, an anniversary, a wedding, a job interview, retirement.
What do you see in this Picture ?
Not a Countdown to
NO Resources
Prisoners can’t go online.
They can’t scroll Rightmove or fill in housing applications.
They cant even claim Universal Credit until the very day they’re released.
They don’t have email, Google, or digital ID access.
They have a phone – costing up to 8p a minute but can only make calls to pre-approved numbers, submitted days in advance.
Release Isn’t
Always Freedom
On release day, they’re handed their possessions in bags they can carry.
They step outside the prison and head straight to the Probation Office to get the final confirmation about their housing situation.
As they exit the Probation Office and stand on the street, time stops.
They have to fix up their life without being given any tools.
Countdown to nothing
For some prisoners, a calander on their wall means they watch as they get nearer to having:
Nowhere to live.
No money.
No job.
No phone.
No plan.
No future
Their countdown is not to something good.
It’s a countdown to nothing.
Freedom ~A Countdown to
Nowhere
As you approach your release date, you start to evaluate what possessions are essential.
Once 'out the gate' the only possessions you own will be those that you can carry.
Some People leaving Prison still do not know
if they have somewhere to sleep that night
Empowering Lives Beyond Bars
Where Stability Starts at the Gate
Rubicon Gate is a lived-experience-led service supporting people leaving prison who face homelessness or housing instability.a
We hope to provide a fixed, secure mailing address that follows individuals
throughout their licence period, helping them stay connected, supported, and seen.
Our work is grounded in understanding, not judgement — because we’ve lived it ourselves.
Everybody walks a different path along their rehabilitation journey and we are dedicated to offer support to everybody currently on Probation or still under Licence conditions.
Rubicon Gate CIC is managed by people who have also walked a path and had a ‘Lived Experience’
We are 100% committed to ensure that every person is treated equally. Regardless of their history, background, or protected characteristics.
Our Story
Founded by Experience
Driven by Change
Rubicon Gate was created by someone who walked the same path. Despite constant attempts during the final 6 months of their sentence, they left prison with nowhere to go and no address to use. Abandonded on Romford Road in Stratford at 3pm on a Friday, surrounded by bags.
The chaos of release without support, housing, or identity inspired a mission: to make sure no one else leaves prison into silence or invisibility. Luckily Friday Releases no longer happen. But Homelessness still doesnt care what day you walk out of the gate.
We are independent and not-for-profit. Created and built by ex-offenders to help others put in the same position — regardless of race, gender, religion, or offending history.
We have no shareholders, and are run by volunteers.
Our Name
RUBICON
Historically this means the point of no return – crossing it meant there was no going back.
GATE
Self explanatory !!
Once you’re through the prison gate and starting your probation journey – never go back.
Rubicon Gate hopes for one thing:
We believe that the gate should be the start of a new path, not a revolving door.
Rubicon Gate CIC
is a 'Not for Profit' Organisation.
Everybody walks a different path along their rehabilitation journey and we are dedicated to offer support to everybody currently on Probation or still under Licence conditions.
Rubicon Gate CIC is managed by people who have also walked a path and had a ‘Lived Experience’.
We are 100% committed to ensure that every person is treated equally. Regardless of their history, background, or protected characteristics.
