This government implementing the Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Act 2023, which will introduce licensing and national support standards across England to ensure supported housing residents receive support tailored to their individual needs. I will publish a consultation on the draft licensing regulations later this year.

Alongside this, the department has issued guidance and provided new burdens funding to support local authorities in developing supported housing strategies, which will assess the supply and demand for different types of supported housing in their areas.

While these reforms are being implemented, my officials continue to work closely with Birmingham City Council to address concerns about supported exempt accommodation.

Local authorities already have a range of powers to tackle poor-quality accommodation. Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) licensing schemes play an important role in ensuring properties are safe, well maintained and properly managed, and councils have robust enforcement powers where landlords fail to comply.

Local planning authorities also have a wide range of enforcement powers, backed by strong penalties for non-compliance with planning regulations. However, it is for individual authorities to determine whether enforcement action is appropriate in the circumstances of each case.

This government implementing the Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Act 2023, which will introduce licensing and national support standards across England to ensure supported housing residents receive support tailored to their individual needs. I will publish a consultation on the draft licensing regulations later this year.

Alongside this, the department has issued guidance and provided new burdens funding to support local authorities in developing supported housing strategies, which will assess the supply and demand for different types of supported housing in their areas.

While these reforms are being implemented, my officials continue to work closely with Birmingham City Council to address concerns about supported exempt accommodation.

Local authorities already have a range of powers to tackle poor-quality accommodation. Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) licensing schemes play an important role in ensuring properties are safe, well maintained and properly managed, and councils have robust enforcement powers where landlords fail to comply.

Local planning authorities also have a wide range of enforcement powers, backed by strong penalties for non-compliance with planning regulations. However, it is for individual authorities to determine whether enforcement action is appropriate in the circumstances of each case.

This government implementing the Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Act 2023, which will introduce licensing and national support standards across England to ensure supported housing residents receive support tailored to their individual needs. I will publish a consultation on the draft licensing regulations later this year.

Alongside this, the department has issued guidance and provided new burdens funding to support local authorities in developing supported housing strategies, which will assess the supply and demand for different types of supported housing in their areas.

While these reforms are being implemented, my officials continue to work closely with Birmingham City Council to address concerns about supported exempt accommodation.

Local authorities already have a range of powers to tackle poor-quality accommodation. Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) licensing schemes play an important role in ensuring properties are safe, well maintained and properly managed, and councils have robust enforcement powers where landlords fail to comply.

Local planning authorities also have a wide range of enforcement powers, backed by strong penalties for non-compliance with planning regulations. However, it is for individual authorities to determine whether enforcement action is appropriate in the circumstances of each case.

I refer the Hon Member to the response to his previous question in July which can be found here. We do not hold more recent data. However, the Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Act 2023 places a duty on all local housing authorities in England to assess the current provision of supported housing, and to estimate current unmet and future need. Local housing authorities have received new burdens funding to publish this information as part of their local supported housing strategies. Delivery of the strategies will be a crucial step forward in increasing the government’s and local councils’ understanding of the supply and need for supported accommodation.

The department's statistical publishing tool Stat-Xplore provides information on the number of working-age Housing Benefit claimants living in supported housing or temporary accommodation who are potentially in scope from the new earned income disregard as it is intended to improve incentives to enter work or increase earnings. Stat-Xplore also provides this with a local authority breakdown.

I refer the Hon Member to the response to his previous question in July which can be found here. We do not hold more recent data. However, the Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Act 2023 places a duty on all local housing authorities in England to assess the current provision of supported housing, and to estimate current unmet and future need. Local housing authorities have received new burdens funding to publish this information as part of their local supported housing strategies. Delivery of the strategies will be a crucial step forward in increasing the government’s and local councils’ understanding of the supply and need for supported accommodation.

Earlier this year we issued new burdens funding for local housing authorities to develop their local supported housing strategies. The department is planning to request annual management information from local authorities on their strategies, including on housing stock and demand. The statutory guidance, Local Supported Housing Strategies - GOV.UK, sets out illustrative information on this data collection. More detailed reporting instructions will be provided in due course.

Ofsted has seen increasing application volumes across children's social care. As of 31 March 2026, there were 370 ongoing applications from supported accommodation providers, down from 616 in the previous year. The registered supported accommodation sector grew by 37% in the year to 31 March 2026 with available capacity at 24,700 places, far exceeding the 7,520 looked after children living in supported accommodation. Published data does not indicate a lack of registered accommodation in the South West. In March 2026, places in registered providers in this region totalled 1,970.

Ofsted’s updated registration policy makes clear that, due to high demand, it is likely to take several months to reach a decision, with timescales affected by some factors outside Ofsted's control, such as incomplete applications. While Ofsted has introduced a prioritisation policy for new children's home applications, no such policy currently applies to supported accommodation, although this remains under review.

Ofsted registration is essential to ensure the appropriate safeguards and support are in place to keep children safe. Regulations do not require care leavers over the age of 18 to be accommodated in Ofsted regulated provision, though some care leavers will benefit from being in regulated provision. The government recently published a review of early deaths of care experienced young people and are working to deliver a programme of improved support for care leavers.

Ofsted has seen increasing application volumes across children's social care. As of 31 March 2026, there were 370 ongoing applications from supported accommodation providers, down from 616 in the previous year. The registered supported accommodation sector grew by 37% in the year to 31 March 2026 with available capacity at 24,700 places, far exceeding the 7,520 looked after children living in supported accommodation. Published data does not indicate a lack of registered accommodation in the South West. In March 2026, places in registered providers in this region totalled 1,970.

Ofsted’s updated registration policy makes clear that, due to high demand, it is likely to take several months to reach a decision, with timescales affected by some factors outside Ofsted's control, such as incomplete applications. While Ofsted has introduced a prioritisation policy for new children's home applications, no such policy currently applies to supported accommodation, although this remains under review.

Ofsted registration is essential to ensure the appropriate safeguards and support are in place to keep children safe. Regulations do not require care leavers over the age of 18 to be accommodated in Ofsted regulated provision, though some care leavers will benefit from being in regulated provision. The government recently published a review of early deaths of care experienced young people and are working to deliver a programme of improved support for care leavers.

Ofsted has seen increasing application volumes across children's social care. As of 31 March 2026, there were 370 ongoing applications from supported accommodation providers, down from 616 in the previous year. The registered supported accommodation sector grew by 37% in the year to 31 March 2026 with available capacity at 24,700 places, far exceeding the 7,520 looked after children living in supported accommodation. Published data does not indicate a lack of registered accommodation in the South West. In March 2026, places in registered providers in this region totalled 1,970.

Ofsted’s updated registration policy makes clear that, due to high demand, it is likely to take several months to reach a decision, with timescales affected by some factors outside Ofsted's control, such as incomplete applications. While Ofsted has introduced a prioritisation policy for new children's home applications, no such policy currently applies to supported accommodation, although this remains under review.

Ofsted registration is essential to ensure the appropriate safeguards and support are in place to keep children safe. Regulations do not require care leavers over the age of 18 to be accommodated in Ofsted regulated provision, though some care leavers will benefit from being in regulated provision. The government recently published a review of early deaths of care experienced young people and are working to deliver a programme of improved support for care leavers.

Ofsted has seen increasing application volumes across children's social care. As of 31 March 2026, there were 370 ongoing applications from supported accommodation providers, down from 616 in the previous year. The registered supported accommodation sector grew by 37% in the year to 31 March 2026 with available capacity at 24,700 places, far exceeding the 7,520 looked after children living in supported accommodation. Published data does not indicate a lack of registered accommodation in the South West. In March 2026, places in registered providers in this region totalled 1,970.

Ofsted’s updated registration policy makes clear that, due to high demand, it is likely to take several months to reach a decision, with timescales affected by some factors outside Ofsted's control, such as incomplete applications. While Ofsted has introduced a prioritisation policy for new children's home applications, no such policy currently applies to supported accommodation, although this remains under review.

Ofsted registration is essential to ensure the appropriate safeguards and support are in place to keep children safe. Regulations do not require care leavers over the age of 18 to be accommodated in Ofsted regulated provision, though some care leavers will benefit from being in regulated provision. The government recently published a review of early deaths of care experienced young people and are working to deliver a programme of improved support for care leavers.

Ofsted has seen increasing application volumes across children's social care. As of 31 March 2026, there were 370 ongoing applications from supported accommodation providers, down from 616 in the previous year. The registered supported accommodation sector grew by 37% in the year to 31 March 2026 with available capacity at 24,700 places, far exceeding the 7,520 looked after children living in supported accommodation. Published data does not indicate a lack of registered accommodation in the South West. In March 2026, places in registered providers in this region totalled 1,970.

Ofsted’s updated registration policy makes clear that, due to high demand, it is likely to take several months to reach a decision, with timescales affected by some factors outside Ofsted's control, such as incomplete applications. While Ofsted has introduced a prioritisation policy for new children's home applications, no such policy currently applies to supported accommodation, although this remains under review.

Ofsted registration is essential to ensure the appropriate safeguards and support are in place to keep children safe. Regulations do not require care leavers over the age of 18 to be accommodated in Ofsted regulated provision, though some care leavers will benefit from being in regulated provision. The government recently published a review of early deaths of care experienced young people and are working to deliver a programme of improved support for care leavers.

Ofsted has seen increasing application volumes across children's social care. As of 31 March 2026, there were 370 ongoing applications from supported accommodation providers, down from 616 in the previous year. The registered supported accommodation sector grew by 37% in the year to 31 March 2026 with available capacity at 24,700 places, far exceeding the 7,520 looked after children living in supported accommodation. Published data does not indicate a lack of registered accommodation in the South West. In March 2026, places in registered providers in this region totalled 1,970.

Ofsted’s updated registration policy makes clear that, due to high demand, it is likely to take several months to reach a decision, with timescales affected by some factors outside Ofsted's control, such as incomplete applications. While Ofsted has introduced a prioritisation policy for new children's home applications, no such policy currently applies to supported accommodation, although this remains under review.

Ofsted registration is essential to ensure the appropriate safeguards and support are in place to keep children safe. Regulations do not require care leavers over the age of 18 to be accommodated in Ofsted regulated provision, though some care leavers will benefit from being in regulated provision. The government recently published a review of early deaths of care experienced young people and are working to deliver a programme of improved support for care leavers.

These are matters for His Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Sir Martyn Oliver. I have asked him to write to the hon. Member, and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

These are matters for His Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Sir Martyn Oliver. I have asked him to write to the hon. Member, and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

I refer the Hon. Members to the answer provided on 8 June in response to Question 4726 on the Government’s work in relation to the draft bill.

On the wider issues raised, the Prime Minister has set out his objectives to reform the social care system, and brought forward the timetable for Baroness Casey’s commission to inform that reform programme. All aspects of the current system will be reviewed as part of that process, including housing-with-care, and we will continue to update Parliament on a regular basis. More information is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/pm-sets-out-new-path-to-fix-social-care-together-29-july-2026

The government recognises the vital role supported housing plays in helping older and vulnerable people live independently and safely. The published Supported Housing Review 2023 identified long-term challenges in sustaining current supply and barriers to developing new provision.

We recognise concerns about the quality of support and oversight in parts of the sector. To address this the government is committed to implementing measures in the Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Act 2023 which will strengthen local oversight, improve the quality of support and require councils to produce Local Supported Housing Strategies to assess local supply, demand and unmet need.