Select committee: Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee
Conclusion 1
Third Report - Exempt Accommodation
Published 27 Oct 2022
Paragraph 31
Addressed to Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee Exempt Accommodation All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Conclusion (the committee's words)
An unknown but significant number of residents’ experiences of exempt accommodation are beyond disgraceful. Taxpayers’ money is being spent on uncapped housing benefit on the understanding that residents, who are usually vulnerable, receive some care, support, or supervision—yet it is clear that some people’s situations actually deteriorate as a result of the shocking conditions in which they live. We heard of squalid environments, vermin, drug-taking, crime and abuse. We heard of people with a history of substance misuse being housed with drug dealers, and of survivors of domestic abuse being housed with perpetrators of such abuse. The support on offer is sometimes little more than a loaf of bread left on a table or a support worker shouting at the bottom of the stairs to check on residents.
From: Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee, Third Report - Exempt Accommodation (HC 21), paragraph 31, 27 October 2022
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 27 June 2023 (deadline 27 December 2022).
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The government says it "strongly welcome[s]" the Committee's recommendations and is supporting the Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Bill, which it believes, "subject to Royal Assent", will address many of the issues raised.
- On national standards and licensing, the government says it will "formally consult" with the sector to develop the licensing scheme and national standards for support "as soon as possible after Royal Assent".
- On mandatory registration of all providers with the Regulator of Social Housing, it gives its reasons, including the risk of reclassification of the sector as public, and considers the Bill's measures "better placed" to provide oversight.
- On rent caps, it says it "cannot effectively determine a standardised rent cap at this point", citing the complexity and range of housing models in the sector.
- On data, it says research on the size, cost and demand of the sector will be published "by the end of 2023".