Enfield Council's Cabinet has approved a new strategy aimed at improving the quality and availability of supported accommodation for vulnerable single homeless individuals. The Exempt Supported Accommodation Strategy, along with its associated Commissioning Framework, seeks to drive up standards, meet local needs, and reduce the council's reliance on expensive temporary accommodation.
The strategy addresses concerns about the quality and oversight of existing exempt supported accommodation, where some providers have been found to inflate costs and provide insufficient support. To combat this, a preferred provider status
will be introduced, requiring providers to meet stringent minimum standards for accommodation, care, support, and supervision.
These standards are detailed in the Exempt Supported Accommodation Strategy and Commissioning Framework and cover several key areas. Providers must adhere to nomination and centralised referral processes, including signing a nominations agreement with Enfield Council, promptly notifying the Singles and Rough Sleeping team of vacancies, and completing formal assessments to verify referral suitability. They must also outline reasons for refusal and notify the team if a client fails to attend an assessment or refuses an offer.
Minimum care, support, and supervision standards are crucial, with providers required to have appropriate governance structures and offer 'more than minimal' support. Within 14 days of admission, a written needs assessment and tailored support plan with agreed outcomes must be in place, potentially using frameworks like the 'Outcome Star' or 'Better Futures' models. Providers must encourage resident engagement, ensure clear communication, and have accessible complaints procedures, a Safeguarding Policy, and a whistleblowing procedure. Staff must also undergo appropriate DBS checks and training.
Accommodation and property management standards mandate that properties meet the 'Decent Homes Standard', are free from serious health and safety hazards, and are in a reasonable state of repair with modern facilities. Houses in Multiple Occupation must meet minimum safety standards for fire, electrical, and gas, alongside amenity standards. Providers need a clear process for response and repair times, ensure accommodation suitability, and obtain all necessary licensing and planning permissions.
To be considered 'exempt accommodation', providers must be a non-metropolitan county council, housing association, not-for-profit voluntary organisation, or registered charity. Crucially, care, support, or supervision must be provided by the accommodation provider or their representative and must be 'more than minimal'. Providers will need to submit evidence such as their constitution, financial accounts, bank statements, lease agreements, supported accommodation forms, needs assessments, and care plans.
Key to the strategy is the introduction of a payment by milestones
process. This will incentivize providers to increase the supply of good quality supported housing by linking payments to agreed deliverables, such as accepting council nominations and achieving positive move-on outcomes for residents. The provisional milestones include:
- Enfield nomination accepted
- Completion of comprehensive support & move on plan
- Enfield nomination moved on into PRS (Private Rented Sector)
These milestones are reviewed quarterly by the PRS & Supported Housing Board. This approach is expected to save the council approximately £1.33 million annually by preventing and relieving homelessness and reducing the need for temporary accommodation.
Enfield Council has identified a significant local need for supported accommodation, with 125 vulnerable single individuals in temporary accommodation deemed suitable for this type of housing. The strategy also prepares the council for the upcoming Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Act 2023, which will introduce national standards and a licensing regime for providers. Draft regulations for this act are anticipated in early 2026.
The council will invest £648,000 over 12 months to secure additional exempt supported accommodation lets. This investment is projected to lead to substantial cost savings by preventing and relieving homelessness and offering a more cost-effective alternative to temporary accommodation.
Enfield Council will monitor and enforce the standards of 'preferred providers' through the Exempt Supported Accommodation Commissioning Framework. Evidence requested to assess support standards includes needs assessments, support plans, move-on plans, license agreements, feedback mechanisms, safeguarding policies, complaints policies, DBS checks, training records, and evidence of discussions with residents before possession proceedings. Housing Benefit payments are subject to regular review, and providers must submit detailed financial breakdowns and tenant support plans. The council will also conduct unannounced visits. The PRS & Supported Housing Board will monitor placements, resident outcomes, and provider compliance quarterly.
The council's plan for supporting residents to achieve 'positive move-on outcomes' involves preferred providers agreeing a written plan with residents outlining steps towards independent housing. The Council's support worker/caseworker will partner with providers to manage expectations and outline residents' responsibilities. The 'payment by milestones' process incentivises providers to focus on finding and sustaining move-on accommodation and reintegrating residents into the community, preventing schemes from becoming long-term placements.
To ensure the 'exempt supported accommodation' meets diverse needs, the Commissioning Framework requires providers to have a Non-Discrimination Policy and mandates cultural competence and staff diversity training. Suitability assessments will consider applicant needs, risk, and household mix. Tailored support plans based on needs assessments are emphasised, and providers are encouraged to consult residents. The strategy aims to diversify supply for all ages and includes provisions for specialist support and adapted accommodation for disabled people. Equalities data will be linked to placement data to identify disparities and inform revisions to the Commissioning Framework.
The Exempt Supported Accommodation Strategy report can be found here. The Cabinet meeting where this was approved was held on 11 March 2026, and the public reports pack is available here.
