LGA responds to supported housing announcement

15 Sep 2016 01:54 PM

Lord Porter, Chairman of the Local Government Association, responds to yesterday's ministerial announcement on the future of supported housing.

"We are pleased that Lord Freud and Marcus Jones MP have listened to the concerns councils had over the risks of applying the Local Housing Allowance cap to supported accommodation.

"Applying the cap would have hit some of our most vulnerable residents and jeopardised many of the supported housing schemes that were due to be developed.

"There was genuine fear that some homes would not be built, while others would be forced to close.

"The cap would also not have covered the higher rental costs of the supported housing sector to pay for the kind of specialist equipment and adaptations this type of accommodation requires.

"The alternative solution proposed by government, to ensure this is avoided, is testimony to the hard work of parties on both sides of the table.

"While the LGA would normally argue against ring-fencing funding, we understand the Government's reasoning in this exceptional case, and feel that the prize here is very much worth that price.

"The LGA will continue to work with government to ensure these changes are implemented in a way that gives providers the certainty they need to invest in supported housing so that we can carry on meeting the needs of vulnerable people, and that they can live in homes that are fit for purpose."