Specified Supported Accommodation and Houses of Multiple Occupation
Background and Introduction - Supported Housing
The role of Supported Housing is to help those who are vulnerable in our community to live independently through care, support or supervision provided as part of their housing solution.
There is a wide range of Supported Housing provided by private and social landlords. There is no requirement for the Provider to be a registered Provider of social housing, which means that non-registered Providers also exist within this space.
Other organisations involved in the provision of Supported Housing includes –
- Local Councils – Adult Social Care teams, Commissioning teams and Housing Benefit departments;
- Clinical Commissioning Groups; and
- Other local partners.
Funding for Supported Housing is complex and, although funding comes from a variety of sources, Housing Benefit plays a significant and vital role. However, not all types of supported accommodation are funded via Housing Benefit.
Currently, the types of Supported Housing that is funded via Housing Benefit is collectively called ‘Specified Accommodation’ of which there are four types –
- exempt accommodation;
- managed properties;
- domestic violence refuge; and
- local authority hostels
The Council is fully committed to assisting Providers to understand their role in the claim process for Housing Benefit and what the evidence requirements are to support the claim.