It has been five years since the 2015 Comprehensive Spending Review suggested changes to the regulation and oversight of supported housing. The National Statement of Expectations for Supported Housing published on 20th October 2020 is an underwhelming development after this five year wait.
Author: Supported Housing
Claiming Enhanced Housing Benefit for Intensive Housing Management
The reason that Enhanced Housing Benefit is payable is because qualifying supported housing providers provide additional and more intensive housing management and maintenance services than would be the case in general needs rented housing. They do so because supported & sheltered housing residents have additional housing needs and supported housing itself has additional maintenance and services costs.
The Oversight of Supported Housing
No one is responsible for the oversight of supported housing. Some might argue that there are plenty of regulators in the supported housing sector: the various national social housing regulators, the Charity Commission in England and Wales, the OSCR in Scotland. To a greater or lesser extent these agencies might regulate supported housing providers, but they don’t oversee supported housing or what it does, and they probably shouldn’t try.
Funding Supported Housing
I believe that the supported housing component of Universal Credit should be redesignated “Supported Housing Rent”, which should be payable to all supported housing providers regardless of legal identity, provided that they are properly regulated & they generate value.
What is “Supported Housing” ? (Part 2): Defining it
Here is an opportunity to offer some definitions for supported housing based on peoples’ needs. Definitions that will support the integration of supported housing into the social care mainstream.
What is “Supported Housing”? (Part 1)
Supported Housing: A Victim of its Own Misdescription As an advocate for supported housing I think it is important to think about what we actually mean when we think of “supported housing”. In my experience it is certainly the case that supported housing has been and remains a victim of its own misdescription. We have… Continue reading What is “Supported Housing”? (Part 1)
Exempt Accommodation, Specified Accommodation & Intensive Housing Management
To explain what Exempt and Specified Accommodation is and to make clear my view that most “Specified Accommodation” is actually “Exempt Accommodation”
To explain the Welfare Reform Act implications of Exempt and Specified Accommodation
To give comprehensive examples of Additional/Intensive Housing Management tasks and functions
To examine the future for Enhanced Housing Benefit and Additional/Intensive Housing Management
Funding Intensive Housing Management
Many of you will know what “Intensive Housing Management” is. It’s a term that the old Housing Corporation in England used to describe the additional housing management services that people in supported housing often need.