HSEU News: Response to Supported Housing Regulation Consultation

The Housing Support Enabling Unit has responded to the consultation from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and Department of Work and Pensions about future regulation of supported housing.

In addition to the implementation of the Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Act in England, the government is consulting on changes to Housing Benefit Regulations, with the intention to ensure that supported housing is good quality and delivers value for money for the taxpayer. Any changes to housing benefit regulation for supported exempt accommodation will impact providers in Scotland.

After engagement with providers of supported housing in Scotland over the past year, the Unit has heard that with housing-related costs funded by housing benefit, Scottish providers of supported housing deliver high quality accommodation and support that enables people to live as independently as possible in their communities.

The Supported Housing Review 2023 found that to meet existing unmet need in Scotland, an additional 15,300 to 36,400 units of supported housing would be required. Current uncertainty about the housing benefit process and evidence required to assess claims makes it more difficult for providers to develop the new accommodation necessary to meet unmet need. In general, supported housing providers would value a system of funding that was less siloed, to enable longer term strategic planning between local authorities and health and social care partners.

With the government consulting about the definitions for ‘care, support, and supervision’ currently used in the housing benefit guidance for supported exempt accommodation, Scottish supported housing providers would caution against narrow or prescriptive definitions that could limit the flexibility necessary to provide person-centred support. The support provided in supported accommodation is diverse, allowing a person to maintain a tenancy that would otherwise be at risk, which enables them to live safely and participate in their community.

Read the full response here: https://www.ccpscotland.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/HSEU-Response-to-Supported-Housing-Regulation-Consultation.pdf