Last month, the government launched a consultation on plans to implement measures set out in the Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Act 2023, a long-awaited step toward improving the quality and oversight of supported housing across England. The consultation invites views on the introduction of a licensing regime, new national standards for the support provided, and changes to housing benefit regulations.

This is a critical moment for local authorities, housing providers, and tenants alike. At the heart of the consultation is a simple but urgent issue: too many vulnerable people are living in poor-quality housing, often under the management of providers who are providing failing accommodation. The current system lacks consistency, transparency, and enforcement. The result is a patchwork of provision, some of which is excellent, but sadly some of it unacceptable.

The government’s consultation recognises the need to introduce greater consistency, accountability, and oversight. For local authorities, that means new responsibilities, but also new powers to intervene.

Local licensing, local impact

The proposed licensing model would place responsibility for oversight firmly in the hands of local authorities, recognising that councils are best placed to understand the complexities and pressures within their local supported housing landscape. This locally led approach could bring much-needed structure to a sector that, until now, has operated without consistent standards or scrutiny.

But for any licensing scheme to succeed, as many local authorities already understand, it must be more than a paper exercise. Supported housing is uniquely complex. Tenants are often vulnerable, the support being provided can vary widely, and providers range from established housing associations to less scrupulous operators exploiting gaps in the system. A licensing regime that relies on paperwork alone risks allowing poor conditions, ineffective support, and unsafe environments to go unchecked.

The challenge for local authorities is clear: how to deliver a scheme that is effective, protects tenants and drives up standards, while balancing the financial pressures and ensuring resources are available to enforce these standards.

At Home Safe, we’ve supported local authorities to implement licensing schemes that improve housing conditions and enable enforcement. From our experience, licensing ‘paperwork’ alone is not enough, and this is especially true in the supported housing sector. The difference lies in inspection of the property.

Regular, in-person multiple inspections give councils the ability to see what’s really happening in these homes: whether the support promised is being delivered, whether tenants are safe, and whether the provider is meeting the basic expectations of care and quality. Without this, even a licensed property can fall far short of what’s acceptable.

Inspections turn a licensing scheme into a practical tool, allowing local authorities to intervene where necessary, gather evidence, and ensure that standards are not just set, but met.

Inspections are the key to enforcement

Going through the front door is the only way to know what’s really happening inside a property. Time and again, our inspectors have uncovered serious issues hidden behind closed doors, including damp and mould, unsafe electrics, fire risks, and dangerous layouts. On paper, they had complied with the standards set out on the application, however, in reality, they put tenants at risk.

For local authorities, inspections are a vital enforcement tool. They provide the evidence needed to take action and the reassurance that licensing is protecting tenants not just fulfilling administrative requirements.

Working with local authorities to deliver inspections under their licensing schemes, we don’t just inspect once. Home Safe inspections are built into the length of a licensing scheme, ensuring that properties are checked multiple times. This helps prevent standards from slipping after initial works are completed and gives councils a real-time understanding of the condition of their housing stock.

When inspections are frequent, landlords are held to account, poor practices are harder to hide, and the worst actors are driven out of the market.

The role of local authorities moving forward

The government’s proposals offer councils a powerful opportunity to shape the future of supported housing, and support the people who are living there. But they also bring challenges, particularly the need for sufficient resources and clear processes.

If local authorities are to succeed in regulating supported housing, they must be supported to put inspections at the heart of their approach. That means access to trained inspectors, robust data systems, and the operational capacity to act on what inspections uncover.

Everyone deserves a safe, warm, and secure home. And as local authorities know better than anyone, achieving that takes more than declarations and paperwork. It requires going through the front door.

As the consultation progresses, we encourage local authorities to make the case for a licensing system that supports their ability to inspect, enforce, and protect.

At Home Safe, we’ve worked with local authority partners to deliver inspection programmes that make a difference, not just in compliance, but in the quality of life for tenants. We know what it takes to make schemes effective on the ground, and we’re committed to supporting local authorities in doing just that.