Exempt Accommodation

Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 7 Dec 2021 Closed: 5 Mar 2024 Parliament page
This inquiry aims to establish a clearer picture of the amount and quality of provision of exempt accommodation. This includes understanding the strengths and weaknesses of current provision and looking for recommendations on the changes that might be needed to improve exempt accommodation.
15 Recommendations
9 Conclusions
1 Report
3 Oral sessions
10 Letters
3 Events
Activity timeline 18 events
27 Jun
2023
Report published
27 Jun
2023
Correspondence
10 Jan
2023
Correspondence
27 Oct
2022
Report published
12 Oct
2022
Correspondence
6 Sep
2022
Correspondence
13 Jul
2022
Correspondence
13 Jul
2022
Correspondence
5 Jul
2022
Correspondence
5 Jul
2022
Correspondence
4 Jul
2022
Oral evidence
4 Jul
2022
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 16, Palace of Westminster
Oral evidence sessions 3 sessions
4 Jul 2022
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Oral Evidence
Cathy Page · Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities David Rutley · Department for Work and Pensions Eddie Hughes · Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities James Wolfe · Department for Work and Pensions
27 Apr 2022
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Oral Evidence
Ashley Horsey · Commonweal Housing David Fensome · Concept Housing Association Denise Hatton · YMCA England & Wales Farah Nazeer · Women's Aid Federation of England Henry Meacock · St Petrocs Matt Downie · Crisis Sam Lister · Chartered Institute of Housing
28 Mar 2022
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Oral Evidence
Cllr Neil Jory · West Devon Borough Council Cllr Sharon Thompson · West Midlands Combined Authority Debbie Ivanova · Care Quality Commission (CQC) Guy Chaundy · Birmingham City Council Helen Clipsom · City Of Bradford Metropolitan District Council Jonathan Walters · Regulator of Social Housing Paul Latham · Charity Commission
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Third Report - Exempt Accommodation HC 21 27 Oct 2022 24 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
10 results
Clear
1 Conclusion Acknowledged
Third Report - Exempt Accommodation
An unknown but significant number of residents’ experiences of exempt accommodation are beyond disgraceful.
An unknown but significant number of residents’ experiences of exempt accommodation are beyond disgraceful. Taxpayers’ money is being spent on uncapped housing benefit on the understanding that residents, who are usually vulnerable, receive some care, support, or supervision—yet it is … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges the need to protect vulnerable residents of exempt accommodation, highlighting existing duties on local authorities within the Domestic Abuse Act 2021, the national supported housing standards and will consider the interaction between licensing, national standards and Housing Benefit regulations.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
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2 Conclusion
Third Report - Exempt Accommodation
Since areas with high concentrations of exempt accommodation can attract anti- social behaviour, crime, rubbish,...
Since areas with high concentrations of exempt accommodation can attract anti- social behaviour, crime, rubbish, and vermin, neighbours and communities are affected negatively as well as residents. These impacts risk undermining local support for supported housing. Read more
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
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3 Conclusion Acknowledged
Third Report - Exempt Accommodation
It is egregious that organisations with no expertise are able to target survivors of domestic...
It is egregious that organisations with no expertise are able to target survivors of domestic abuse and their children and provide neither specialist support nor an appropriate or safe environment. Where a prospective resident of exempt accommodation is a survivor … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges the need to protect survivors of domestic abuse in exempt accommodation, highlighting existing duties on local authorities within the Domestic Abuse Act 2021, the national supported housing standards and will consider the interaction between licensing, national standards and Housing Benefit regulations.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
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4 Conclusion
Third Report - Exempt Accommodation
Due to the scarcity of data on exempt accommodation, our inquiry was unable to establish...
Due to the scarcity of data on exempt accommodation, our inquiry was unable to establish how widespread the very worst experiences are either among residents or among local communities. Where the very worst experiences are occurring, this points to a … Read more
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
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6 Recommendation Acknowledged
Third Report - Exempt Accommodation
Within twelve months of the publication of this report, the Government should publish national standards,...
Within twelve months of the publication of this report, the Government should publish national standards, and give local authorities the power and resources to enforce these standards, in the following areas: • The referral process, which should include an assessment … Read more
Government Response
The government will bring forward national standards for support and give local authorities the power to set up licensing schemes. Referral pathways, resident needs assessments, and information provision will be considered as part of developing licensing regulations and national support standards. They are also working to improve housing quality and reviewing the Decent Homes Standard and the Housing Health and Safety Rating System.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
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7 Recommendation Acknowledged
Third Report - Exempt Accommodation
Consideration should be given to an accreditation scheme for providers, implemented on a graded basis,...
Consideration should be given to an accreditation scheme for providers, implemented on a graded basis, so that councils can assess the quality of provision in their area and so that poorer quality providers can improve.
Government Response
The licensing regime, national standards for support and strategic plans in the Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Bill will enable local authorities to identify issues, and local authorities may choose to set up accreditation schemes. The government will also ask whether additional measures outside of licensing schemes would support compliance with the national standards, and will keep this closely under review.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
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10 Conclusion Acknowledged
Third Report - Exempt Accommodation
The different regulators have oversight for different aspects of exempt accommodation, and this means it...
The different regulators have oversight for different aspects of exempt accommodation, and this means it is not simple to include oversight of exempt accommodation under a single regulator. However, the existing regulators are experts in their own areas and may … Read more
Government Response
The government has committed to establishing a Supported Housing Advisory Panel to provide advice on the regulatory oversight of supported housing and to bring together key stakeholders.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
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12 Conclusion Acknowledged
Third Report - Exempt Accommodation
The dearth of data on exempt accommodation shows how successive Governments have been caught sleeping.
The dearth of data on exempt accommodation shows how successive Governments have been caught sleeping. The Government does not know how much exempt accommodation there is or how many people live in exempt accommodation. The Government claims that poor providers … Read more
Government Response
The government has commissioned research to assess the supported housing sector, to be published by the end of 2023, which will consider systematically collecting and publishing data. DWP has made changes to Housing Benefit data collection and is funding local authority reviews of Housing Benefit stock, and the local authority strategic plans and licensing schemes are expected to improve the evidence base.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
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13 Recommendation Acknowledged
Third Report - Exempt Accommodation
Within twelve months of publication of this report, the Government must organise the collection, collation...
Within twelve months of publication of this report, the Government must organise the collection, collation and publication of annual statistics at a local authority level on the following: • The number of exempt accommodation claimants; • The number of exempt … Read more
Government Response
The government has commissioned research to assess the supported housing sector, to be published by the end of 2023, which will consider systematically collecting and publishing data. DWP has made changes to Housing Benefit data collection and is funding local authority reviews of Housing Benefit stock, and the local authority strategic plans and licensing schemes are expected to improve the evidence base.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
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14 Conclusion Acknowledged
Third Report - Exempt Accommodation
The Government has no idea how much taxpayer money is spent on exempt accommodation, nor...
The Government has no idea how much taxpayer money is spent on exempt accommodation, nor what this money is spent on. It cannot know whether the current system is delivering value for money. Millions of pounds are being poured into … Read more
Government Response
The government has commissioned research to assess the supported housing sector, to be published by the end of 2023, which will consider systematically collecting and publishing data. DWP has made changes to Housing Benefit data collection and is funding local authority reviews of Housing Benefit stock, and the local authority strategic plans and licensing schemes are expected to improve the evidence base.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
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Government Response AI assessment · 22 of 15 classified
Accepted 4
Accepted in Part 5
Acknowledged 8
Deferred 2
Not Addressed 1
Rejected 2
Total 15 recs + 9 conclusions
Correspondence 10 letters
27 Jun 2023 To committee Letter from the Secretary of State to the Chair dated 20 June 2023 concerning the Government response to the Committee's report on Exempt Accommodation
Parliament page
10 Jan 2023 To committee Letter from the Secretary of State to the Chair dated 6 January 2023 concerning the Government response to the Committee's report on Exempt Accommodation
Parliament page
12 Oct 2022 To committee Letter from the Minister for Welfare Delivery to the Chair dated 5 September 2022 concerning Exempt Accommodation data
Parliament page
6 Sep 2022 To committee Letter from the Comptroller and Auditor General to the Chair dated 27 July 2022 concerning data on Exempt Accommodation
Parliament page
13 Jul 2022 To committee Letter from the Chair to the Comptroller and Auditor General dated 13 July 2022 concerning exempt accommodation data
Parliament page
13 Jul 2022 To committee Letter from the Chair to the Minister for Welfare Delivery dated 13 July 2022 concerning exempt accommodation data
Parliament page
5 Jul 2022 To committee Letter from the Minister for Rough Sleeping and Housing to the Chair dated 1 July 2022 concerning the Supported Housing Improvement Programme bidding prospectus
Parliament page
5 Jul 2022 To committee Letter from the Minister for Welfare Delivery to the Chair dated 30 June 2022 concerning exempt accommodation data
Parliament page
17 May 2022 To committee Letter from the Chair to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions dated 17 May 2022 concerning data on exempt accommodation
Parliament page
8 Feb 2022 To committee Letter from the Minister for Rough Sleeping and Housing to the Chair dated 26 January 2022 concerning the Committee's inquiry into Exempt Accommodation
Parliament page