Supported Housing and HB

Can anyone give me a brief explanation of the impact that Univeral Credit will have on housing benefit claimants in supported housing? Does anyone have any updates on elegible service charges? Will under occupancy apply?

Many thanks

I doubt if anyone can.  It’s all in the air for supported housing.

“In the short term, the best guess is that the WRA commencement order which finally abolishes HB will include a saving provision so that HB continues in its current form for supported accommodation.”

I am far from certain that this will be the what happens. Exempt Accommodation is the most complex area of HB, although there are relativly few cases. LAs will not have any HB staff to deal with these cases once HB is abolished, and certainly will not employ staff specifically to just deal with HB for such a small number of very complex cases.

In my view, the most likely approach will be those proposed by the consultation document. Housing Element + a % for most cases, and normal housing element for specialist accommodation with LAs (probably Counties) holding a pot that providers can bid for by providers.