Specialised Supported Housing: guidance for local government and NHS commissioners

Important new guidance has been produced by the Housing LIN, for the Local Government Association, supported by NHS England and NHS Improvement, about a category of supported housing referred to as ‘Specialised Supported Housing’ (SSH), particularly lease-based models of SSH. The guidance is designed to assist local government and NHS commissioners with commissioning and managing SSH.

The Housing LIN worked with a wide range of local authority and NHS commissioners, as well as other supported housing sector stakeholders, to develop this guidance for local government and NHS commissioners about a category of supported housing referred to as ‘Specialised Supported Housing’ (SSH), particularly lease-based models of SSH.

This is in the context of the Regulator of Social Housing’s (RSH) document Lease-based providers of specialised supported housing. Addendum to the Sector Risk Profile 2018 published in April 2019 which provides an overview of the lease-based model and the risks associated with it.

Ian Copeman, Operations Director at the Housing LIN and co-author of the guidance said:

“The guidance is intended to assist commissioners to take informed, risk-based decisions about SSH, particularly lease-based SSH, to help protect and promote the best interests of people with a learning disability and autistic people, and other people with support needs.”