Select committee: Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee

Recommendation 6

Third Report - Exempt Accommodation Published 27 Oct 2022 Paragraph 55 Addressed to Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
Recommendation (the committee's words)
Within twelve months of the publication of this report, the Government should publish national standards, and give local authorities the power and resources to enforce these standards, in the following areas: • The referral process, which should include an assessment of the prospective resident’s support needs and if there are any considerations about with whom they should or should not be housed; • Care, support, or supervision, which should include helping the resident progress towards independence and employment; • The quality of housing; and • Information the provider must give to the resident, including on their rights, particularly their right to work and right to complain.

From: Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee, Third Report - Exempt Accommodation (HC 21), paragraph 55, 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".

Read the government's response ↗ Report an error