Local Supported Housing Strategies: Reflections from the National Housing Federation Conference

Last week (3 July 2026), Jeremy White, Head of Consultancy at Homeless Link, had the privilege of speaking at a National Housing Federation event, focusing on supported housing strategies and the all-important needs assessments now required of all local authorities.

It was a fantastic opportunity to engage with colleagues from across the sector, share emerging thinking and reflect on the significant changes currently shaping supported housing nationally.

A sector at a pivotal moment

Supported housing continues to play a critical role in helping some of the most vulnerable people in our communities live independently with dignity and relieving and preventing homelessness, both now and in the future.

However, the expectations placed on local authorities are evolving rapidly, and the introduction of a mandatory local supported housing needs assessment marks a real step change.

These assessments are not simply a compliance exercise – they are a vital tool to better understand local demand, identify gaps in provision, and ultimately ensure that services are aligned with real need and project this into future years.

What we’re seeing on the ground

Through our work at Homeless Link, including through delivering Supported Housing Needs Assessments for more than 10% of English local authorities since 2021, we are seeing several consistent trends emerge:

• Rising and increasingly complex need: local areas are reporting higher demand, often with more complex and overlapping support needs – particularly linked to mental health, substance use and multiple disadvantage.
• Gaps in appropriate provision: there is often a mismatch between available supported housing and what is needed in reality – whether in terms of the type of provision, the level of support, or the geographic distribution. This is in the context of overall national shortages; Government research from 2023 found that by 2040, between 361,700 and 640,700 additional units will be needed to meet overall supported housing demand.
• A changing provider landscape: many areas are seeing a shift in the balance of provision, with growth in non-commissioned services alongside a long-term reduction in commissioned provision driven by sustained funding pressures. While this can present challenges around oversight, quality assurance and consistency, it is important to recognise that many non-commissioned providers deliver high-quality support and are a vital part of the local ecosystem. In some cases, these services were previously commissioned but could no longer be funded. This makes it increasingly important for local authorities to understand the full range of provision in their area, not just what is commissioned, but the broader market offer.
• Pressure on move-on pathways: a lack of suitable move-on accommodation continues to create blockages across the system, limiting the ability of supported housing to function effectively.
• Data challenges and inconsistency: while the data availability is improving, many areas still face fragmented datasets across housing, health and care, making it difficult to build a fully rounded picture of need.

Taken together, these trends underline why needs assessments are so crucial – not just for understanding the current picture, but for shaping a more sustainable system going forward.

The importance of robust needs assessments

A key theme of the session was the importance of approaching needs assessments with rigour and transparency. Done well, they go beyond high-level analysis and combine robust data, local insight and meaningful engagement to build a comprehensive and credible picture of need.

In practice, this means drawing together quantitative data and qualitative insight, engaging a wide range of stakeholders including providers, commissioners, people with lived experience, and testing findings to ensure they reflect the reality on the ground.

When approached in this way, needs assessments can:

• Provide a clear evidence base for future commissioning decisions.
• Strengthen collaboration between housing, health and social care partners.
• Support funding conversations with greater confidence and clarity.
• Ensure that provision reflects the diverse and changing needs of local populations.

As one example from local practice, Test Valley Borough Council highlighted the broader impact of getting housing supply right, following a needs assessment:

This reinforces the fact that supported housing needs assessments aren’t just technical exercises or an opportunity for local authorities to make cuts to funding where budgets are increasingly under pressure – they are central to improving people’s lives.

Moving from insight to strategy

Another key discussion point was how we translate needs assessment findings into meaningful supported housing strategies. Gathering data is one thing – but using it effectively to drive change is where the real value lies. This means developing strategies that are:

• Deliverable – grounded in robust funding and delivery models.
• Collaborative – shaped with input from providers, commissioners and service users.
• Forward-looking – anticipating future demand, not just responding to current pressures.

At its best, this approach ensures that systems are designed to deliver “the right support, in the right place, at the right time” – a principle reflected in leading local authority practice.

Collaboration is key

One of the most encouraging aspects of the event was the shared commitment to collaboration across the sector. But a key challenge – and opportunity – is ensuring that this collaboration genuinely reflects the full breadth of organisations supporting people experiencing homelessness.

This goes beyond partnerships between local authorities and registered providers. It must include the wider ecosystem of support: non-commissioned providers, VCSE organisations (including those not solely focused on homelessness), criminal justice partners, health and care services, and smaller organisations that may sit outside traditional networks.

There is a real risk that needs assessments and strategies become shaped by a familiar “in-club” of known providers, overlooking vital services that operate beyond established commissioning frameworks. In many areas, these organisations are a critical part of the system and often have the deepest understanding of emerging and unmet need.

Recognising this is essential. Many strong, effective services currently sit outside of local authority “expected” partners and need to be actively brought into the conversation. Building a complete picture of local provision – and designing effective responses – depends on bringing together everyone working towards the shared goal of preventing and ending homelessness.

Our experience delivering needs assessments reinforces this: the strongest outcomes are realised where local authorities cast the net widely, bringing in both established and less visible partners, sharing data openly, and treating the process as a genuinely inclusive, system-wide endeavour grounded in shared goals and values.

Looking ahead

As the requirements around needs assessments continue to embed, the opportunity is clear: to create more strategic, evidence-based supported housing systems that genuinely meet the needs of local communities.

The scale of change shouldn’t be underestimated – but neither should the potential. With the right evidence, the right partnerships, and the right strategic focus, local areas can build systems that are more responsive, more effective, and ultimately deliver better outcomes for residents.

A big thank you to the National Housing Federation for hosting – and to everyone who contributed to such an insightful and engaging discussion.