The UK Government has recently set out further details on how it intends to implement the Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Act 2023.
This marks an important step forward in improving the quality, consistency and oversight of supported housing across England.
For organisations such as Sustain UK, and the residents we house and support, these changes matter as they shape the way that supported housing is delivered, regulated and funded in the coming years.
Supported housing plays a vital role in helping often vulnerable people with complex needs take steps to live independently.
However, concerns have been raised in recent years about inconsistent standards and the growth of poor-quality exempt accommodation.
As a response, the Government’s reforms aim to:
Sustain UK welcomes a strategy that creates a more consistent and trusted sector from the outset but is interested in details of the plan so that greater oversight of supported housing is practical to operate and adhere to.
While full implementation will take place over the next few years, several key elements have now been clarified.
Introduction of national standards
For the first time, there will be clear, national standards covering both the quality of accommodation and the support provided to residents.
This means providers will need to demonstrate:
For providers already delivering high-quality services, these standards should formalise what good practice looks like.
New local licensing schemes
Local authorities will be empowered to introduce licensing schemes for supported housing in their areas.
This will allow councils to:
For Sustain UK, this will mean closer engagement with Birmingham City Council (and other relevant local authorities), and continued emphasis on transparency and accountability with our local authority partners.
Local supported housing strategies
Councils will also be required to develop supported housing strategies, following statutory guidance from the government to assess current provision and identify future need.
This is expected to:
For organisations like Sustain UK, this presents an opportunity to play an active role in shaping local provision and making sure that our tenants receive the right support, co-ordinated to help those with complex needs.
Sustain UK welcomes the positive impact of a more structured, supported housing market and an opportunity to highlight the positive impact we make on our residents' lives - who should also benefit from a better understanding of their rights and the role Sustain plays working closely with our managing agents.
Local authorities also benefit from better planning and oversight which should hopefully strengthen overall confidence in the market.
It is critical that the implementation of all the above is carefully managed to ensure that the volume of essential, good-quality supported housing is maintained.
Sustain UK has made numerous changes in recent years in anticipation of regulation. This has included rescuing the value of supported accommodation in certain areas, closer collaboration with Birmingham City Council through the adoption of the Charter of Rights and SEAQAS (Supported Exempt Accommodation Quality Standards), Birmingham’s quality standards that promote higher-quality support and housing for vulnerable adults.
While further detail will continue to emerge, Sustain UK remains committed to playing a positive role in this evolving landscape — delivering safe, high-quality accommodation and support to those who need it most.
Sustain UK is a Birmingham-based exempt supported housing provider.
