Select committee: Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee
Recommendation 22
Third Report - Exempt Accommodation
Published 27 Oct 2022
Paragraph 107
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 ↗
Recommendation (the committee's words)
The multitude of models of exempt accommodation produces a complex landscape with no guarantee of quality. We have heard concerns about the quality of non- commissioned exempt accommodation, but have also been provided with good examples of specialist non-commissioned providers. Likewise, in the absence of data, it has not been possible to demonstrate whether registered or non-registered providers offer a higher quality of provision. Therefore, the implementation of our recommendations on standards, oversight and costs should be implemented across all models to ensure overall quality is improved and value for money is delivered across the piece. The improved data collection that we recommend should be monitored and analysed to determine whether models of exempt accommodation should be streamlined in the future.
From: Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee, Third Report - Exempt Accommodation (HC 21), paragraph 107, 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".