The Ministry of Housing has published its National Statement of Expectations for supported housing as part of a concerted attempt to drive up standards of housing management in care settings.
This new set of guidelines for local authorities and supported housing providers, sets out good practice for the housing management aspects of supported housing provision. Many housing associations and the NHF worked with the Government on the statement, to help promote good practice in supported housing provision.
The NHF says the statement will be a tool for local authorities to champion good practice in the supported housing sector, and can be used to make the case for increased funding for this type of housing.
The Government also announced £3m of new money to fund pilots in five areas – Birmingham, Hull, Blackpool, Bristol and Blackburn, to improve the quality, enforcement, oversight and value for money in supported housing, focusing on short-term supported accommodation. The pilots will run until the end of March 2021.
The supported housing pilots will involve collaborative working between local partners and will carefully test different approaches to greater oversight of the sector and how higher standards could be enforced. The pilots are intended to improve the quality of non-commissioned provision in priority areas.
The Housing Ministry wants to hear feedback from supported housing providers about the National Statement of Expectations. Officials will start by engaging with the social housing sector on an informal basis, followed by more formal survey in the Spring, to find out whether the framework is useful to providers and local authorities.
The NHF will be consulting member HAs through its National Health and Housing Forum and regional Health, Care and Supported Housing Forums.
By Patrick Mooney, Editor