£6m of funding has been announced to boost housing and support for vulnerable tenants from the Government’s Supported Housing Improvement Programme
The government has announced £6m of funding for councils to drive up standards and improve housing and support for vulnerable tenants
Birmingham, Blackburn with Darwen, Blackpool and Hull councils will receive over £6m from the government’s £20m Supported Housing Improvement Programme to carry out more frequent and thorough inspections of supported housing.
Residents of supported housing are extremely vulnerable to exploitation
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.
Vulnerable tenants living in poor-quality supported housing with little to no support from providers and facing extortionate rents will see significant improvements as the funding will empower councils to crackdown on unscrupulous landlords.
Increased enforcement will drive up housing standards and the level of support for vulnerable people and ensure unscrupulous landlords are deterred.
Supported housing will see significant improvements as councils are given funding to drive up standards
Supported housing should provide suitable, safe, hazard-free accommodation which meets tenants’ needs along with the right support 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.
The funding allocations follow a successful series of pilot schemes in the chosen areas
The 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:
“While there are many excellent supported housing providers in the market, we know there are a minority that 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 benefitting local communities by tackling poor practice and improving conditions for vulnerable tenants.”
Councillor Lynn Williams, leader of Blackpool Council, said:
“We have developed clear pathways for providers that enables them to understand what is needed in Blackpool and enables the development of schemes in the right place for the right people delivering value for money for the public purse.
We are unapologetic about offering not only support but challenge to the market to make sure that the supported housing schemes in Blackpool deliver great outcomes.”
Further funding awards from the scheme will be made to councils around the country in the autumn.
