Supported Housing
(asked on 22nd June 2017) - View Source
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assisted living accommodation is available for people with illness and disability who are below the age of 55; and if he will make a statement.
The Department for Communities and Local Government and the Department for Work and Pensions commissioned a ‘Supported Accommodation Review’ which was published in November 2016 (see https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/supported-accommodation-review). This provides the following information on supported housing units provided for working-age adults (aged 65 or below) in England:
Client group – working-age adults | No of supported housing units – England*# |
| 38,500 |
| 29,500 |
| 9,000 |
* based on survey responses from 83 local authority commissioners between October and December 2015.
# see survey for figures for Wales and Scotland
Assisted living accommodation is often understood to mean supported housing that provides a higher level of support. The above figures will include a mixture of lower and higher needs support.
The Government recognises that the supported housing sector provides essential support to some of our country’s most vulnerable people. The sector is very diverse and, as well as supporting those suffering from disability or illness, also serves other vulnerable working-age client groups for example rough sleepers and homeless families, and people fleeing domestic abuse, and also includes sheltered housing for older people. It helps many people to lead independent lives in the community or to turn their lives around, and brings savings to other parts of the public sector such as health and social care.
We are committed to boosting the supply of supported housing for the vulnerable, including for people with disabilities. Since 2011, the Government has delivered 23,000 new supported homes in England across all client groups. We are continuing to fund delivery of new supported housing. We are spending £400 million announced through the Autumn 2015 Spending Review to deliver 8000 specialist affordable homes for older and vulnerable people. In addition, up to 6000 more supported housing units are by being funded by the Department of Health, via the Care and Support Specialised Housing (CASSH) Fund.