Supported Housing Licensing Regulations

The Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Act 2023 established a new framework for the regulation and oversight of supported housing across England. The Act responded to significant and longstanding concerns about the quality, oversight and value for money of some supported housing provision, particularly within the exempt accommodation sector, while recognising the vital role that high-quality supported housing plays in meeting the needs of vulnerable people.

In 2025, the government consulted on the design of the licensing regime, the National Supported Housing Standards for support, and proposed Housing Benefit changes. The government response, published in April 2026, confirmed the government’s intention to proceed with a locally led licensing regime in all local authority areas to give councils the enforcement powers that they need to manage the supported housing in their area.

Stakeholders, including residents, local authorities, supported housing providers and member organisations, broadly supported the introduction of licensing as a way to control the spread of poor-quality provision and improve standards for residents across England. However, respondents also emphasised the importance of a proportionate regime that protects existing good quality supported housing and future supply.

The intention is to establish a regime that is effective in driving up standards and protecting residents, while remaining deliverable for local authorities and proportionate for providers.

The content of the consultation 

This consultation seeks to understand whether the draft statutory instrument will effectively deliver the policy proposals set out in the government’s response to the Supported Housing regulation: consultation.

This consultation seeks views on the technical detail of the draft regulations. It covers:

• the structure and operation of the licensing regime
• the scope of licensing and exemptions
• application, decision-making and enforcement processes, and
• how the regime would operate in practice

This consultation does not seek views on statutory or non-statutory guidance, which will be published in draft before regulations are laid before Parliament.

The draft regulations have been published alongside this consultation and should be read together with it.

Please do not share personal data within your responses to the consultation where it is not requested. Please see the Annexes for the privacy notice. 

Who should respond

We welcome responses from:

• Local housing authorities, combined authorities and social service authorities
• supported housing providers, landlords and managing agents
• commissioners of housing and support services
• residents and their advocates
• organisations representing residents and people with lived experience
• regulators and enforcement bodies, and
• other stakeholders with an interest in supported housing

Next steps

Responses to this consultation will inform the regulations to be laid before Parliament under the powers in the Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Act 2023. Subject to parliamentary approval, the government intends to implement the licensing regime, supported by guidance for local authorities and providers.