New funding announced to improve housing support for vulnerable people

The government has published a new National Statement of Expectations (NSE), setting out what it expects to see in standards, quality and value for money in supported housing and how this can be achieved by bringing together best practice across the sector.

The government has also announced £3 million to fund pilots in 5 areas – Birmingham, Hull, Blackpool, Bristol and Blackburn – to improve quality, enforcement, oversight and value for money in supported housing, focusing on short-term supported accommodation. The pilots will run until the end of March 2021.

The supported housing pilots will involve collaborative working between local partners and will carefully test different approaches to greater oversight of the sector and how higher standards could be enforced. The pilots are intended to improve quality of non-commissioned provision in priority areas.

Ms Tolhurst, Minister for Rough Sleeping and Housing said: “Providing good quality homes to people who have been homeless, or who are unable to live independently, is fundamental to our support for vulnerable people.

“The pilots we are funding will explore different approaches to supported housing, to further raise the quality of service across the country.”

Kate Henderson, Chief Executive of the National Housing Federation, said she “[welcomed] the funding for pilots, which will provide an opportunity to review how we can ensure these homes and services are of high quality, which housing associations are absolutely committed to.

“Supported housing plays a vital role in our society, ensuring that thousands of people have the home and support they need to live independent and healthy lives. We must continue to invest in it and develop it, including building more supported housing to help more people access these desperately needed services.”