exempt accommodation – Page 2 – The Supported Housing Blog

Enhanced Housing Benefit, the Exempt Accommodation Project and the Oversight of Supported Housing

We have seen additional restrictions on, and greater scrutiny of enhanced Housing Benefit claims made by supported housing providers under the Exempt Accommodation rules.

Back in October 2020 I wrote a briefing on the National Statement of Expectations for Supported Housing in which I expressed concern that it would be used as an exercise in cost control. Unfortunately, those fears seem to be justified in many instances. Some local authorities are trying to insist on supported housing providers becoming registered providers to qualify for framework agreements and tenders in circumstances where, in England at least, this is a very difficult thing to do.

The Exempt Accommodation Project

It simply wrong and discriminatory that tenants’ entitlements to Enhanced Housing Benefit, which is a personal benefit, are dependent on the legal identity of their landlord.

Intensive Housing Management & Enhanced Housing Benefit

claiming enhanced housing benefit for supported housding

A List of Routinely Eligible Intensive Housing Management Tasks & Functions

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.

Exempt Accommodation, Specified Accommodation & Intensive Housing Management

Exempt 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

What is Intensive Housing Management & how is it funded?

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.