An update on the Supported Housing Regulatory Oversight Act (SHROA), supported housing licensing, the DWP’s potential definition of “support”, the possible abolition of housing benefit, the Exempt Accommodation Project (EAP) and its role in helping councils manage subsidy recovery for supported housing and temporary accommodation, and as a “community of good practice”, and finally case law to show that intensive housing management and maintenance are “support”.
Tag: supported housing rent
Claiming Enhanced Housing Benefit & the DWP Housing Benefit Guidance for Supported Housing Claims
This briefing is aimed at supported housing providers claiming enhanced housing benefit [both registered providers and non-registered providers] and local authority supported housing commissioning and Revenues and Benefits colleagues.
The Exempt Accommodation Inquiry Report
There is a saying that “hard cases make bad law” and I believe, unfortunately, that this is what we’re seeing here. With some exceptions, notably on domestic violence and abuse services, this Report is a missed opportunity based on an inadequate grasp of the supported housing ecosystem that it wishes to reform.
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.
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.