Redbridge Council is developing a new Supported Housing Strategy to address the growing needs of its residents, aiming to ensure access to safe, high-quality homes and personalised support.
The strategy, which is a statutory requirement under the Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Act 2023, is being shaped by the council's Housing Committee. The first draft of the strategy was presented and discussed at a meeting on Wednesday, 2 September 2026. The full public reports pack for this meeting can be found here.
Andrew Billany, Director of Housing, and Ben Tomlinson, Head of Housing Strategy, Quality and Assurance, led the presentation, outlining the three main categories of supported housing:
- Short-term and transitional housing: For individuals experiencing homelessness, care leavers, victims of domestic abuse, and those requiring resettlement.
- Working-age disabled adults: Providing support for those with mental health issues, learning disabilities, autism, or physical and sensory impairments to live independently.
- Older people: Including sheltered housing and extra care facilities for individuals aged 55 and over, to support their evolving care needs and independence.
Officers highlighted that the borough's population is projected to increase, with a significant rise in the older demographic, placing greater demand on supported housing services. They also noted that Redbridge is a net importer
of supported housing placements, which can lead to residents being disconnected from their support networks. To address this, the council plans to maximise or optimise supported housing to keep provision in the borough and also not to over-provide so that we then become a magnet to people from other boroughs who bring their sort of complex cases to our door.
This is a key consideration in the supported housing strategy, aiming to ensure that supported housing is provided in the right place so no particular ward is overburdened with it, that everybody has a range of options for supported housing settings close to their own home, where they live, their community support network.
The proposed strategy is built around four key objectives: ensuring right housing in the right places,
promoting independence, prevention and positive move-on,
focusing on health, wellbeing and inclusion,
and emphasizing partnerships, quality and co-production.
During the meeting, councillors raised questions about ward-level data, the balance between local and out-of-borough demand, and the prevention of homelessness. Concerns were also expressed about the current supply and demand figures and the complexity of setting up supported housing. The council foresees challenges in the complexity of setting up supported housing, particularly regarding regulations. One councillor noted, I think it's very very complicated at the moment. Even if people have empty properties or properties that they've purchased to let out, they can utilise and support people... but when they go into doing these regulations, their mind boggles balls up so we need to simplify some of the things that we have at the moment.
The strategy aims to address this by simplifying regulations and making it easier for people to set up supported housing.
Specific metrics will be used to measure the success of the four key objectives. For 'Independence, prevention and positive move-on,' a key performance indicator (KPI) will track how effectively people are moved on from supported housing. For 'Partnerships, quality and co-production,' success will be measured by ensuring value for money through an effective and coordinated local network. The overall success for residents is envisioned as safe and suitable accommodation, stable and connected living, progress and choice, and positive move-on. Specific targets for delivery plans will be set after the consultation period, focusing on short-term and medium-term plans that are deliverable and sustainable.
A multi-channel consultation process is planned to ensure a wide range of voices are heard, including vulnerable residents. The council's approach to co-production involves online platforms, focus groups, and targeted outreach, to ensure a wide range of voices, including vulnerable residents, are heard.
They plan to engage vulnerable residents through the services that they already access
and by convening focus groups, drop-in sessions at providers, and also similarly with the voluntary and community sector that are operating in those areas.
A workshop is scheduled for November to further refine the consultation materials and the strategy itself.
The strategy is expected to be formally consulted on for 12 weeks, with a final version to be presented to Cabinet for approval by March 2027. The timeline for the development and consultation of the Supported Housing Strategy is shown in the following chart: 
