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Funding for councils to improve conditions for vulnerable tenants living in supported housing
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Today’s allocations follow pilots which successfully tested new enforcement measures including a property inspection regime and creation of new multi-disciplinary teams to speed up enforcement
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Increased enforcement will drive up housing standards and level of support for vulnerable people and ensure unscrupulous landlords are deterred
Vulnerable tenants living in poor-quality supported housing with little to no support from providers will see significant improvements as government helps councils crackdown on unscrupulous landlords.
Birmingham, Blackburn with Darwen, Blackpool and Hull councils will receive over £6 million from the government’s £20 million Supported Housing Improvement Programme to carry out more frequent and thorough inspections of supported housing.
Supported housing provides accommodation alongside care, support, or supervision for residents who may have experience of homelessness, mental health issues or domestic abuse. Schemes should provide them with the skills and confidence needed to enter longer-term accommodation and live more independent lives.
Many residents receive good quality, tailored support but the government is aware there are instances of supported housing landlords providing unacceptable levels of support while charging extortionate rents.
The government wants to ensure that people in supported housing who need help with turning their lives around – for example after a crisis such as rough sleeping or homelessness – can do so in decent accommodation and with the right support. This programme funds councils to use enforcement measures, such as inspections, to improve quality and value for money in the provision of supported housing by landlords.
Supported housing should provide suitable, safe, hazard-free accommodation which meets tenants’ needs, and also the right support, for example supervision, advice, or help with life skills, to help tenants live independently in the community. Poor performing landlords will need to improve and provide better accommodation and support for their vulnerable tenants, such as carrying out support reviews with the tenant and referring them to specialist agencies if needed.
Those failing to do so face enforcement action. Councils have the power to issue penalty charge notices, prohibition orders that could stop part or all of the building being used, and to prosecute where poor accommodation standards risk the health and safety of residents.
Today’s announcement follows successful pilots in the 4 council areas, which helped them carry out over 1,000 property inspections of supported housing. An independent evaluation found the pilot schemes had a positive impact on councils’ ability to manage their local supported housing – they were able to establish innovative and effective ways of working, take action to improve standards and ensure costs are reasonable.
Minister for Rough Sleeping and Housing Eddie Hughes said:
Councillor Lynn Williams, leader of Blackpool Council, said:
Further funding awards from the scheme will be made to councils around the country in the autumn.