The Parliamentary Committees for Communities & Local Government and Work & Pensions published their report ‘Future of Supported Housing’ on 1st May 2017. The purpose of this briefing paper is to summarise the report and to provide some commentary.
The committees support the Government in seeking to find a long-term, sustainable funding mechanism that ensures quality, provides value for money, and that protects and boosts the supply of supported housing. But they share the concerns expressed across the sector that the funding proposals, as they stand, are unlikely to achieve these objectives. They frequently heard that the Local Housing Allowance rate was an inappropriate starting point for a new funding mechanism for supported housing.
Although recommendations for alternative structures are less forthcoming, they propose that the Government introduces a Supported Housing Allowance, banded to reflect the diversity of provision in the sector and sufficient to ensure supported housing tenants will only require recourse to top-up funding in exceptional circumstances. They further recommend that emergency accommodation is funded through a locally administered grant system, while refuges, that operate as a national network, should have a separate funding mechanism that reflects their unique role.
Their recommendations seek to complement the Government’s proposals, and to enable delivery of our common goal of a sustainable, long-term funding solution for supported housing that boosts the provision of high quality homes, while providing greater local control over spending and value for money.
Your copy of the briefing paper can be freely downloaded from HERE
Bramble Court in Brampton, Cumbria. An Extra Care Elderly scheme provided by Impact Housing Association and part-funded by Cumbria County Council. Because of uncertainty regarding the future funding of supported housing, Impact Housing Association has been unable to progress any further schemes.