Context

[Not supported by viewer]
Working Age HB Claimants
[Not supported by viewer][Not supported by viewer][Not supported by viewer]
Pension Age
HB Claimants
[Not supported by viewer][Not supported by viewer][Not supported by viewer][Not supported by viewer][Not supported by viewer][Not supported by viewer][Not supported by viewer][Not supported by viewer][Not supported by viewer]

1. Supported housing plays a crucial role in supporting hundreds of thousands of the most vulnerable people.

What is “supported housing”?

2. The description of “supported housing” used in the UK Government’s October 2017 funding proposals is:

“Any housing scheme where housing is provided alongside care, support or supervision to help people live as independently as possible in the community.” 1DCLG/DWP, Funding Supported Housing: Policy Statement and Consultation, October 2017, page 8 para 2

3. You should note however that those proposals related to “rented” supported housing, i.e. where the occupier currently has a liability for a rent or a licence fee and probably (significant) service charges and (potential) entitlement to assistance with these housing costs by way of means-tested HB/UC.

What are the different types of “supported housing”?

4. The term “supported housing” covers a range of different housing types including: 2DCLG/DWP, Funding Supported Housing: Policy Statement and Consultation, October 2017, page 8, para 3

  1. hostels,
  2. refuges,
  3. supported living complexes,
  4. sheltered housing, and
  5. extra care schemes.

5. Different types of provision meet different levels of need – and often multiple needs. 3DCLG/DWP, Funding Supported Housing: Policy Statement and Consultation, October 2017, page 8, para 3

Number of supported housing units

6. Key points:

  1. 651,500 – the estimated number of “rented”4 Indicating that (prospective) occupants are normally tenants or licensees potentially entitled to HB, 5Crown Commercial Service, Provision of Supported Accommodation Review Contract, Appendix B, page 2, footnote 1supported housing units in GB (at the end of 2015) 6 DWP, Supported accommodation review – The scale, scope and cost of the supported housing sector, (November 2016) p 3
  2. 85% are in England,
  3. 9% are in Scotland,
  4. 6% are in Wales.

Who lives in supported housing?

7. There were approximately 716,000 people living in rented supported housing across GB at the end of 2015 (the latest available figures): 7DCLG/DWP, Funding Supported Housing: Policy Statement and Consultation, October 2017, page 8, para 5

  1. 526,500 older people,
  2. 189,500 working-age people 8 DWP, Supported accommodation review – The scale, scope and cost of the supported housing sector, (November 2016) p 40

8. People identified as living in supported housing are categorised in the DWP review as: 9 DWP, Supported accommodation review – The scale, scope and cost of the supported housing sector, (November 2016) p 41

  1. older people (65+)
  2. people with learning disabilities
  3. single homeless people (inc  rough sleepers)
  4. people with mental health problems
  5. vulnerable young people (16-25)
  6. people with physical disabilities or sensory impairment
  7. homeless families
  8. people with drug or alcohol misuse needs
  9. people at risk of domestic abuse
  10. offenders
  11. others (a category which is described as including refugees/asylum seekers, ex-service personnel, pregnant teenagers, travellers and those it had not been possible to assign) 10 DWP, Supported accommodation review – The scale, scope and cost of the supported housing sector, (November 2016) p 41 footnote 41

Supported housing units by client group & country (estimated)

Fieldwork dates: 19 October – 2 December 2015 
All amounts are estimates - 0 indicates a value of less than 500.11Supported accommodation review - The scale, scope and cost of the supported housing sector | A report of research carried out by Ipsos MORI, Imogen Blood & Associates and Housing & Support Partnership on behalf of the DWP and the DCLG (Nov 2016) - Table 3.2 Profile of supported housing by client group and country on page 41.

What is the projected demand for supported housing?

9. Projecting future demand for supported housing is difficult. A range of figures may be produced depending upon the factors identified as relevant and the weightings given to them.

10. Research commissioned by DCLG and the Department of Health  identified a need for an increase of:

  1. 35% in the number of supported housing units for older people in Great Britain (from 460,000 units in 2015 to 625,000 units in 2030);12Wittenberg R and Hu B (March 2017) Projected Demand For Supported Housing In Great Britain 2015 to 2030 London School of Economics, page 2
  2. 16% in the number of supported housing units for younger adults (from 190,000 in 2015 to 220,000 in 2030).13Wittenberg R and Hu B (March 2017) Projected Demand For Supported Housing In Great Britain 2015 to 2030 London School of Economics, page 2

Who provides “supported housing”?

11. Key points:

  1. 70% of supported housing units in GB are provided by housing associations
  2. 20% provided by local authorities
  3. 10% provided by charitable and voluntary organisations (& others such as private landlords) 14 DWP, Supported accommodation review – The scale, scope and cost of the supported housing sector, (November 2016) p 36

Percentage of supported housing for different client groups by landlord type (England)

Fieldwork dates: 19 October – 2 December 2015.15Supported accommodation review - The scale, scope and cost of the supported housing sector | A report of research carried out by Ipsos MORI, Imogen Blood & Associates and Housing & Support Partnership on behalf of the DWP and the DCLG (Nov 2016) - Table 3.4 Profile of supported housing by client group and landlord by country on page 45

Percentage of supported housing for different client groups by landlord type (Wales)

Fieldwork dates: 19 October – 2 December 2015.16Supported accommodation review - The scale, scope and cost of the supported housing sector | A report of research carried out by Ipsos MORI, Imogen Blood & Associates and Housing & Support Partnership on behalf of the DWP and the DCLG (Nov 2016) - Table 3.4 Profile of supported housing by client group and landlord by country on page 45

Percentage of supported housing for different client groups by landlord type (Scotland)

Fieldwork dates: 19 October – 2 December 2015.17Supported accommodation review - The scale, scope and cost of the supported housing sector | A report of research carried out by Ipsos MORI, Imogen Blood & Associates and Housing & Support Partnership on behalf of the DWP and the DCLG (Nov 2016) - Table 3.4 Profile of supported housing by client group and landlord by country on page 45

What’s the purpose of “supported housing”?

12. Supported housing has a multiplicity of purposes. It may be set up:

  1. to provide a safe, stable and supportive place to live, 18DCLG & DWP, Funding for Supported Housing, November 2016, para 13
  2. as a key to unlocking better outcomes for vulnerable people, 19DCLG & DWP, Funding for Supported Housing, November 2016, para 13
  3. as a stepping stone to independent living in the longer term, or 20DCLG & DWP, Funding for Supported Housing, November 2016, para 13
  4. to provide vital lifelong support that helps residents to live independently in the community. 21DCLG & DWP, Funding for Supported Housing, November 2016, para 13

Voids in supported housing

Median number of vacant days prior to letting by client groups (Private Registered Providers – England only)

Date: 2014/1522Source: Supported accommodation review - The scale, scope and cost of the supported housing sector | A report of research carried out by Ipsos MORI, Imogen Blood & Associates and Housing & Support Partnership on behalf of the DWP and the DCLG (Nov 2016) - Table 3.12 Median number of vacant days prior to letting by client group (Private Registered Providers England-only) on page 56

Rent and service charges in supported housing

Average rents and service charges in supported housing by client group (England PRPs only)

Date: 2014/1523Source: Supported accommodation review - The scale, scope and cost of the supported housing sector | A report of research carried out by Ipsos MORI, Imogen Blood & Associates and Housing & Support Partnership on behalf of the DWP and the DCLG (Nov 2016) - Table B.8 Summary of rents and service charges (rounded) for Private Registered Providers in England (CORE 2014/15) by supported housing client group page 117.

HB spending on supported housing

13. Key points:

  1. £24.bn – total housing benefit spend across GB 24 DWP, Supported accommodation review – The scale, scope and cost of the supported housing sector, (November 2016) p 58
  2. £4.12bn – the estimated annual cost of supported housing met by housing benefit across GB (at end of 2015)25 DWP, Supported accommodation review – The scale, scope and cost of the supported housing sector, (November 2016) p 3
  3. £2.05bn – the(conservative) estimate of the annual spend on support and care services (in addition to housing benefit) (at end of 2015) 26DWP, Supported accommodation review – The scale, scope and cost of the supported housing sector, (November 2016) p 3

Annual HB per unit of supported housing

As at December 2015.27Source: Supported accommodation review - The scale, scope and cost of the supported housing sector | A report of research carried out by Ipsos MORI, Imogen Blood & Associates and Housing & Support Partnership on behalf of the DWP and the DCLG (Nov 2016) - Table 3.13 Summary of estimated annualised cost of HB for supported housing across Great Britain (as at December 2015) on page 60

Non-HB additional annual spend on supported housing by client group & country (estimated)

Fieldwork dates: 19 October – 2 December 2015.28Source: Supported accommodation review - The scale, scope and cost of the supported housing sector | A report of research carried out by Ipsos MORI, Imogen Blood & Associates and Housing & Support Partnership on behalf of the DWP and the DCLG (Nov 2016) - Table 3.14 Estimated amount of additional spend on supported housing beyond Housing Benefit per annum by client group on page 64.

General Notes

Supported housing

“Supported housing” is housing where support, supervision and sometimes care services are provided to help people live as independently as possible in the community.

More specifically the definition used in the DWP sponsored study was: specified accommodation as defined in DWP Circular A8/2014; and other types of accommodation-based supported housing where some form of care, support or supervision is provided to tenants.29DWP, Supported accommodation review – The scale, scope and cost of the supported housing sector, (November 2016) p 30

unit

A unit refers to either a room or bedspace in shared supported housing or a self-contained supported housing unit.30DWP, Supported accommodation review – The scale, scope and cost of the supported housing sector, (November 2016) p 3

Landlord

“Landlord” refers to the provider of the unit of accommodation. The “landlord” is not necessarily the entity that manages the scheme as this may be carried out by another organisation.31DWP, Supported accommodation review – The scale, scope and cost of the supported housing sector, (November 2016) p 36

charity – Landlord type

Charity refers to a registered charity or voluntary organisation.

Housing association – landlord type

The term ‘housing association’ is used to cover Private Registered Providers in England and Registered Social Landlords in Scotland and Wales. The report states that it is recognised that some housing associations may not be Private Registered Providers. 32DWP, Supported accommodation review – The scale, scope and cost of the supported housing sector, (November 2016) p 23

Other – Landlord type

This category includes private landlords. May also have been used to categorise landlords whose legal status was uncertain or unknown.33DWP, Supported accommodation review – The scale, scope and cost of the supported housing sector, (November 2016) p 36, 43, 44, 46

1 – “ONE” figure – meaning of

A 1 (one) figure in a chart or table indicates a value of less than 500 but greater than zero.

Disclaimer

While we make every effort to ensure that the information on these pages is accurate we accept no responsibility for any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions. Always refer to the original sources identified for each of our tables and charts.

If you identify any errors or omissions or have any other constructive comments or criticism regarding the contents of these pages we would welcome hearing from you. Please use the private tweet facility for this.

Public sector information – Open Government Licence v3.0

The charts and tables on these pages contain public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. 

Notes   [ + ]

Top