In a Ministerial statement on 10 July, Minister for Homelessness Rushanara Ali provided an update on the development of new regulations to implement the Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Act 2023. Acknowledging concerns raised by the sector in the consultation process, there is a commitment to work to refine the proposed regulations.
In the statement, the Minister sets out a timeline for the government to respond to the results of a recent consultation proposed regulations. A response, Minister Ali stated, would be published “shortly after Parliament’s summer recess.” Summer recess is scheduled to end on 1 September.
This update comes two months after the conclusion of a consultation run by the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government and the Department for Work and Pensions on the government’s proposed regulations.
In Rushanara Ali’s statement to Parliament, significant concerns across a range of areas identified by sector stakeholders – including Homeless Link and many of our members - during the consultation process are recognised, with the Minister stating:
“It is clear from the consultation responses, and engagement with the sector, that elements of the licensing regime design will need to be refined before regulations can be laid and work is now underway to achieve this.”
Elsewhere in the statement the Minister reaffirmed the aim of licensing for supported accommodation was to tackle “exploitative landlords” but acknowledged that regulation needed to be “effective, not over burdensome.”
Homeless Link’s assessment of the proposed regulations was set out in our consultation response, which was itself informed by our own thorough consultations with our members, including a large number of supported accommodation providers.
Our response identified real risks that providers of good quality supported housing could be forced to close services, due to the extra costs and administrative burden the proposed regulations would introduce. A summary of Homeless Link’s consultation response can be found in our blog, and our full response is also available on our website.
Commenting on the Minister’s update, Homeless Link CEO Rick Henderson states:
“ We share the government’s ambition for these regulations: they should root out any bad actors taking advantage of the supported accommodation sector, and drive up the standard of support available across the country.
“But we welcome the acknowledgment that the regulations in their current form will not deliver on this goal, and are pleased the government is committing to further work to make them fit-for-purpose.
“As highlighted in our consultation response, the current proposals on regulations risk forcing providers of good quality supported accommodation to close their doors due to the extra costs and administrative burden the regulations as proposed would introduce.
“Our consultation response sets out potential alternatives to the current proposed regulations. Homeless Link and our members stand ready to work with government to develop regulations which deliver on our shared vision of high-quality supported accommodation playing a vital role in ending homelessness for good.”
