Source · Select Committees · Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee
Recommendation 12
12
Acknowledged
Paragraph: 82
The dearth of data on exempt accommodation shows how successive Governments have been caught sleeping.
Conclusion
The dearth of data on exempt accommodation shows how successive Governments have been caught sleeping. The Government does not know how much exempt accommodation there is or how many people live in exempt accommodation. The Government claims that poor providers are a minority but has no data to back this up. The Government does not know how many providers are regulated and by which regulators. We know there have been acute problems in Birmingham, for example, which the then Minister for Welfare Delivery said were not happening across the country. Without data, however, it has been very difficult to ascertain the extent of these problems across the country. We welcome the data review commissioned by the Government, but it will only provide a snapshot in time. We also welcome the steps the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is taking to improve data collection, but since this will apply only to new claimants it will take time for a reliable national picture to emerge.
Government Response Summary
The government has commissioned research to assess the supported housing sector, to be published by the end of 2023, which will consider systematically collecting and publishing data. DWP has made changes to Housing Benefit data collection and is funding local authority reviews of Housing Benefit stock, and the local authority strategic plans and licensing schemes are expected to improve the evidence base.
Paragraph Reference:
82
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
35. We have commissioned research to provide an up-to-date assessment of the size, cost, and demand of the supported housing sector across Great Britain. Findings will be published by the end of 2023. The research will also consider how Government could systematically collect and publish data to monitor the sector, whilst making best use of existing local and national data systems. 36.T he Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has made changes to the way local authorities provide Housing Benefit data on supported housing claims that will ensure that, over time, better data is available on the number of claimants in exempt accommodation, and the amount being spent on exempt accommodation. These changes started to take effect for new claims from April 2022 and will therefore take some time for data to improve. DWP have also secured funding to cover the cost of local authorities undertaking a full desk-based review of their Housing Benefit stock cases from April 2023, to improve the accuracy of the data. 37. In addition, the local authority strategic plans and licensing schemes due to be implemented through the Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Bill are expected to improve the supported housing evidence base. We recognise the importance of data in driving improvements and will work with the committee to provide reassurance going forward.