Funding for councils to improve conditions for vulnerable tenants living in supported housing
Today’s allocations follow pilots that successfully tested new enforcement measures, including a property inspection regime and the creation of new multidisciplinary teams to speed up enforcement
Increased enforcement will raise housing standards and the level of support for vulnerable people and ensure that unscrupulous landlords are deterred
Vulnerable tenants living in poor quality supported housing with little or no support from providers will see significant improvements as the government helps councils crack down on unscrupulous landlords.
Birmingham, Blackburn with Darwen, Blackpool and Hull councils will receive over £6m from the Government’s £20m Supported Housing Improvement Program 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 problems or domestic abuse. Schemes should provide them with the skills and confidence they need to move into long-term accommodation and live a more independent life.
Many residents receive quality and tailored support, but the government is aware that there are cases of supported housing landlords who provide unacceptable levels of support while paying extortionate rents.
The Government wants to ensure that people in supported housing who need help to turn their lives around – for example after a crisis such as rough sleeping or homelessness – can do so in decent accommodation and with the support of properly. This program funds councils to use enforcement measures, such as inspections, to improve quality and value for money in the provision of owner-supported housing.
Supported housing must provide suitable, safe and risk-free accommodation which meets the needs of tenants, as well as appropriate support, for example supervision, advice or help with life skills, to help tenants live independently in community. Poorly 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 necessary.
Those who fail to do so face enforcement action. Councils have the power to issue penalty notices, restraining orders which can stop the use of part or all of the building and prosecute where poor accommodation standards put the health and safety of residents at risk.
Today’s announcement follows successful pilots in 4 council areas which helped them carry out over 1,000 property checks of supported housing. An independent evaluation found that the pilot schemes had a positive impact on councils’ ability to manage their local supported housing – they were able to create innovative and effective ways of working, take action to improve standards and ensure that the costs were reasonable.
Minister for Rough Sleeping and Housing Eddie Hughes said:
While there are many excellent supported housing providers in the market, we know there is a minority who are shamelessly taking advantage of vulnerable residents and we are committed to ending this practice.
This funding will allow Birmingham, Blackburn with Darwen, Blackpool and Hull to build on their successful pilot schemes. This work is already benefiting local communities by tackling poor practices and improving conditions for vulnerable tenants.
Hull councilor Jan Loft, portfolio holder for housing and homelessness, said:
This is good news for Hull.
I am delighted that we can build on its success and continue to raise accommodation standards and ensure that residents receive quality support services that meet their needs, which are vital to enable them to move towards independent living and fulfill their potential.
Leader of Blackburn with Darwen Council, Councilor Phil Riley, said:
We are delighted to have secured this important new funding for such vital work.
This is a complex problem, but we can now build on previous successes and look at new initiatives to review and improve standards in this sector of the housing market.
Councilor Lynn Williams, leader of Blackpool Council, said:
We have developed clear pathways for providers that enable them to understand what is needed in Blackpool and enable schemes to be developed in the right place for the right people that deliver value for money for the public purse.
The funding announced today gives us the opportunity to build on these strong foundations and take forward our work with both providers and people who benefit from supported housing to ensure that standards are firmly embedded and we we support the development of schemes that help people maintain and increase their independence.
We make no apologies for providing not only support but challenge to the market to ensure that supported housing schemes in Blackpool deliver excellent results.
Further funding awards from the scheme will be awarded to councils across the country in the autumn.
