Vulnerable people still living in unsafe supported housing in England two years after law was passed | Housing

People are dying and communities are being damaged due to delays in implementing a new law designed to regulate supported housing in England. The Supported Housing Act, passed over two years ago, aims to address issues with unregulated accommodation where vulnerable individuals face poor living conditions and exploitation, but its implementation has been stalled by delays in creating the necessary regulations.

Delays in Implementing the Supported Housing Act

The Supported Housing Act, which applies to England and Wales, was granted royal assent more than two years ago. It was created to tackle the scandal of “exempt” supported accommodation, where landlords can profit from housing benefit while providing substandard homes and often minimal support to vulnerable residents.

Supported accommodation typically houses individuals recently released from prison, those with substance abuse issues, people fleeing domestic violence, or individuals with mental health problems who require assistance to live independently.

The government launched a consultation on new regulations for the sector in February, but has yet to publish its response, leading campaigners to fear further delays.

Concerns from Lawmakers and Charities

Bob Blackman, the Conservative MP who brought the private member’s bill forward, expressed his growing frustration. “I’m getting increasingly anxious and angry that we’re in a position where this has been allowed to drift for two years now,” he said. “It has been left in limbo and local authorities are doing their own thing.” He believes rogue landlords are continuing to profit while the law remains unimplemented.

Jasmine Basran, head of policy and campaigns at Crisis, described “horror stories” of conditions in exempt accommodation, including infestations, overcrowding, and intimidation of residents.

While the act’s passage was a “huge win” and prompted some providers to leave the sector, Basran noted that vulnerable people remain at risk due to the lack of enforcement.

Impact on Communities and Residents

The main concern is that vulnerable individuals are placed in shared homes that can worsen addiction and mental health issues, contribute to violence and antisocial behavior, and strain emergency services. Some areas, such as Birmingham, which has approximately 30,000 exempt accommodation places, have seen family homes converted into large house-shares to maximize housing benefit income.

Gill Taylor, who leads the Dying Homeless Project at the Museum of Homelessness, stated there is real concern that people are dying in poor-quality exempt accommodation. The project recorded 36 deaths in such accommodation in 2024 across 10 local authorities, but fears the actual number is much higher due to inconsistent data collection.

“People are dying and people are suffering when they’re not dying, and nobody knows about it,” Taylor said. She emphasized the need for better data collection to understand the extent of the problem.

Government Response

A Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government spokesperson stated that the government recognizes the need for safe and affordable homes and has announced an additional £124m to help people in supported housing. They affirmed that implementing the Supported Housing Act is a priority and will begin next month, aiming to provide necessary support and ensure providers consider the needs of residents.