‘Keep the Home fires burning’: Homes England and supported housing
by Rory Coonan

Homes England, the government’s “arm’s length” agency, is an unsung hero in the unglamorous but necessary business of patiently assembling sites and remediating land for housing. It’s not a trapeze act. Officials and board members don’t look for applause. But without them, the country would have fewer tools to increase the supply of new housing.

The name ‘Homes England’ is a misnomer since it does not build homes. Thank goodness for that. Happily, there is no state-run building contractor empowered to build social or affordable housing. Such a policy would require Soviet-style commissars. Unelected Whitehall officials would direct what happens, where and on whose land. Diversity of supply would evaporate. The country would revolt.

But what Homes England permits to be built when public land is placed in the hands of private sector house builders, or when it makes grants or provides loans, matters a great deal. It has nothing to do with planning permission. It’s about stimulating the market to consider new desires and needs to which housebuilders can respond.

The market certainly needs to respond with new products. Demand for supported housing is rocketing. According to the government’s own figures, currently there are around 700,000 individuals living in accommodation where care and support are provided, 71% of whom are in receipt of state pensions. Some 500,000 of the total live in premises owned by registered social landlords commonly known as housing associations.

Demographic trends including the increasing longevity of ‘baby boomers’ and general increases in UK population suggest that an additional 300,000 units of supported housing are needed to keep pace with demand.  Medical trends play an important part. The accelerating incidence of brain diseases amongst older people (often described collectively as ‘dementia’) leads to coping stress in partners, the essential need for externally provided care and (in the latter stages of disease) inevitable dislocation in living arrangements.

If this were not enough, consider the remarkable fact that owing to advances in medical technologies people with learning disabilities (notably Down’s Syndrome) are now expected to outlive their parents for the first time in history.

Britain’s housing stock is not ‘care ready’

But how and where are such people to live? [The government is currently consulting on this, following Royal Assent given this summer to the Down’s Syndrome Act.]  The current housing stock in England is not ‘care ready’. It is not designed to deal with the demands of later life,, with learning or other disabilities. Specially designed supported housing integrated within other types of homes can make the difference between bare existence and lives lived well.

Homes England is not indifferent to the need for a variety of housing, including supported living. Indeed, the body allocates 10 % of its multi billion-pound budget towards it. Unfortunately, it does not report its progress in delivering it.  Homes England is accountable to parliament for the number of starts and completions of homes generally. But no-one looking at the most recent numbers (published in June 2022) would have a clue about the organisation’s achievements in increasing the supply of supported housing.

However, because of enquiries by Coral Living these figures can be reported for the first time.  In the 2021/2022 financial year 3,228 specialist homes * were completed with the assistance of Homes England. This amounts to 12.8% of the affordable homes completed in the same period. In the same 21/22 period, 25,826 new affordable homes were started. Of these, 2,043 are designated as specialist homes but Homes England officials expect this number to increase as construction begins. (To put this in perspective, the number of homes of all types completed under Homes England programmes in 21/22 was 37,164.)

This data shows that supported housing held up well as a proportion of total housing delivered under the ‘Homes England’ banner last year.  This is surprising because inflation, labour shortages and now war in Europe have combined to render Homes England’s overall housings targets unattainable.

This is a good news story. Showcasing supported housing starts and completions would surely spur Homes England on to do even better. They might also consider publicising the number of specialist homes created in partnership with the NHS.  Good news should be shared. Golden opinions may ensue.

Note: * Homes England defines ‘specialist homes’ as: ”any home or housing scheme that provides accommodation alongside care, support or supervision to help people live as independently as possible in the community, including homes for older people”

‘Keep the Home fires burning’: Homes England and supported housing
by Rory Coonan

Homes England, the government’s “arm’s length” agency, is an unsung hero in the unglamorous but necessary business of patiently assembling sites and remediating land for housing. It’s not a trapeze act. Officials and board members don’t look for applause. But without them, the country would have fewer tools to increase the supply of new housing.

The name ‘Homes England’ is a misnomer since it does not build homes. Thank goodness for that. Happily, there is no state-run building contractor empowered to build social or affordable housing. Such a policy would require Soviet-style commissars. Unelected Whitehall officials would direct what happens, where and on whose land. Diversity of supply would evaporate. The country would revolt.

But what Homes England permits to be built when public land is placed in the hands of private sector house builders, or when it makes grants or provides loans, matters a great deal. It has nothing to do with planning permission. It’s about stimulating the market to consider new desires and needs to which housebuilders can respond.

The market certainly needs to respond with new products. Demand for supported housing is rocketing. According to the government’s own figures, currently there are around 700,000 individuals living in accommodation where care and support are provided, 71% of whom are in receipt of state pensions. Some 500,000 of the total live in premises owned by registered social landlords commonly known as housing associations.

Demographic trends including the increasing longevity of ‘baby boomers’ and general increases in UK population suggest that an additional 300,000 units of supported housing are needed to keep pace with demand.  Medical trends play an important part. The accelerating incidence of brain diseases amongst older people (often described collectively as ‘dementia’) leads to coping stress in partners, the essential need for externally provided care and (in the latter stages of disease) inevitable dislocation in living arrangements.

If this were not enough, consider the remarkable fact that owing to advances in medical technologies people with learning disabilities (notably Down’s Syndrome) are now expected to outlive their parents for the first time in history.

Britain’s housing stock is not ‘care ready’

But how and where are such people to live? [The government is currently consulting on this, following Royal Assent given this summer to the Down’s Syndrome Act.]  The current housing stock in England is not ‘care ready’. It is not designed to deal with the demands of later life,, with learning or other disabilities. Specially designed supported housing integrated within other types of homes can make the difference between bare existence and lives lived well.

Homes England is not indifferent to the need for a variety of housing, including supported living. Indeed, the body allocates 10 % of its multi billion-pound budget towards it. Unfortunately, it does not report its progress in delivering it.  Homes England is accountable to parliament for the number of starts and completions of homes generally. But no-one looking at the most recent numbers (published in June 2022) would have a clue about the organisation’s achievements in increasing the supply of supported housing.

However, because of enquiries by Coral Living these figures can be reported for the first time.  In the 2021/2022 financial year 3,228 specialist homes * were completed with the assistance of Homes England. This amounts to 12.8% of the affordable homes completed in the same period. In the same 21/22 period, 25,826 new affordable homes were started. Of these, 2,043 are designated as specialist homes but Homes England officials expect this number to increase as construction begins. (To put this in perspective, the number of homes of all types completed under Homes England programmes in 21/22 was 37,164.)

This data shows that supported housing held up well as a proportion of total housing delivered under the ‘Homes England’ banner last year.  This is surprising because inflation, labour shortages and now war in Europe have combined to render Homes England’s overall housings targets unattainable.

This is a good news story. Showcasing supported housing starts and completions would surely spur Homes England on to do even better. They might also consider publicising the number of specialist homes created in partnership with the NHS.  Good news should be shared. Golden opinions may ensue.

Note: * Homes England defines ‘specialist homes’ as: ”any home or housing scheme that provides accommodation alongside care, support or supervision to help people live as independently as possible in the community, including homes for older people”

‘Keep the Home fires burning’: Homes England and supported housing
by Rory Coonan

Homes England, the government’s “arm’s length” agency, is an unsung hero in the unglamorous but necessary business of patiently assembling sites and remediating land for housing. It’s not a trapeze act. Officials and board members don’t look for applause. But without them, the country would have fewer tools to increase the supply of new housing.

The name ‘Homes England’ is a misnomer since it does not build homes. Thank goodness for that. Happily, there is no state-run building contractor empowered to build social or affordable housing. Such a policy would require Soviet-style commissars. Unelected Whitehall officials would direct what happens, where and on whose land. Diversity of supply would evaporate. The country would revolt.

But what Homes England permits to be built when public land is placed in the hands of private sector house builders, or when it makes grants or provides loans, matters a great deal. It has nothing to do with planning permission. It’s about stimulating the market to consider new desires and needs to which housebuilders can respond.

The market certainly needs to respond with new products. Demand for supported housing is rocketing. According to the government’s own figures, currently there are around 700,000 individuals living in accommodation where care and support are provided, 71% of whom are in receipt of state pensions. Some 500,000 of the total live in premises owned by registered social landlords commonly known as housing associations.

Demographic trends including the increasing longevity of ‘baby boomers’ and general increases in UK population suggest that an additional 300,000 units of supported housing are needed to keep pace with demand.  Medical trends play an important part. The accelerating incidence of brain diseases amongst older people (often described collectively as ‘dementia’) leads to coping stress in partners, the essential need for externally provided care and (in the latter stages of disease) inevitable dislocation in living arrangements.

If this were not enough, consider the remarkable fact that owing to advances in medical technologies people with learning disabilities (notably Down’s Syndrome) are now expected to outlive their parents for the first time in history.

Britain’s housing stock is not ‘care ready’

But how and where are such people to live? [The government is currently consulting on this, following Royal Assent given this summer to the Down’s Syndrome Act.]  The current housing stock in England is not ‘care ready’. It is not designed to deal with the demands of later life,, with learning or other disabilities. Specially designed supported housing integrated within other types of homes can make the difference between bare existence and lives lived well.

Homes England is not indifferent to the need for a variety of housing, including supported living. Indeed, the body allocates 10 % of its multi billion-pound budget towards it. Unfortunately, it does not report its progress in delivering it.  Homes England is accountable to parliament for the number of starts and completions of homes generally. But no-one looking at the most recent numbers (published in June 2022) would have a clue about the organisation’s achievements in increasing the supply of supported housing.

However, because of enquiries by Coral Living these figures can be reported for the first time.  In the 2021/2022 financial year 3,228 specialist homes * were completed with the assistance of Homes England. This amounts to 12.8% of the affordable homes completed in the same period. In the same 21/22 period, 25,826 new affordable homes were started. Of these, 2,043 are designated as specialist homes but Homes England officials expect this number to increase as construction begins. (To put this in perspective, the number of homes of all types completed under Homes England programmes in 21/22 was 37,164.)

This data shows that supported housing held up well as a proportion of total housing delivered under the ‘Homes England’ banner last year.  This is surprising because inflation, labour shortages and now war in Europe have combined to render Homes England’s overall housings targets unattainable.

This is a good news story. Showcasing supported housing starts and completions would surely spur Homes England on to do even better. They might also consider publicising the number of specialist homes created in partnership with the NHS.  Good news should be shared. Golden opinions may ensue.

Note: * Homes England defines ‘specialist homes’ as: ”any home or housing scheme that provides accommodation alongside care, support or supervision to help people live as independently as possible in the community, including homes for older people”