Supported apartments are in crisis, says a letter to PM Keir Starrer

Supported living that helps to live independently or disabled people is in the crisis, an open letter, which was signed by more than 170 organizations in the sector claims.

The services at a third provider in England had to bring a closure last year, which was increased to a total lack of around 325,000 places, according to the letter, which is now delivered to Prime Minister Keir Stronger. The signatories include refugee, Age UK and the National Housing Federation (NHF).

The debt of the Councils and increasing costs for the NHF says that further out of three providers fear that they could conclude, unless the government promises more money.

The government says that supported living space is of crucial importance and focuses on building more houses.

About half a million people in Great Britain currently live in supported apartments, including Young Care Leavers, the army, people with learning difficulties and people who escape homelessness or domestic abuse.

“The supported living space plays an indispensable role in cutting NHS maintenance lists and reducing pressure on social care, temporary accommodations and other important public services,” says the open letter.

However, it means that the future of the supported living space is now at risk after “years of funding” and that the local authorities are now forced to breastfeed “vital benefits”.

“Increasing costs and reduced funds have made many services inadmissible and forced many to close, while the demand for supported living space continues to increase. The decision to increase employer -national insurance contributions has further under pressure.”

The organizations are calling for long -term increased funding for the support of living space for at least 1.6 billion GBP per year for councils and supported houses that are among the 1.5 million new government houses.

“We recognize the important role that is played by supported living space to help people in need of protection independently and well to live, and the contribution that they make to combat the rough sleep and timely hospital discharge,” said a spokesman for the housing construction, communities and local government.

The spokesman said that the government had deployed £ 2 billion in the increasing social and affordable house buildings in 2026-27, with further details being determined in a long-term housing strategy in the course of this year.

Proponents of austerity measures say that difficult financing decisions have to be made in order to compensate for Britain’s finances.

However, Shaoxiong Liu says his family does not know what they would have done without a supported place of residence for his son Jason.

Jason at the age of 39 has autism, a learning disability and psychological health problems. When he got older, this became increasingly unmanageable for his family. After the illness, Jason was hospitalized with sepsis in 2017.

Due to his challenging behavior and illness, which caused serious vomiting, he stayed in the hospital for months because they tried to find somewhere in the long term that could meet his needs.

He was finally stuck with Advance Housing, where his family says that Jason had applied in the age of eight. Its weight rose from 35 kg to 53 kg, he can drive on bus trips and visit social events that are organized by the housing shortage.

“Jason’s behavior is so much better now. He lived there for so long and happy there,” says Mr. Liu. “Jason is now an adult and we are in our 70s, so his behavior could be quite dangerous for us if he lives with us – we couldn’t take care of him.”

The NHF says that every third provider in England, which has been interviewed, may have to hire the provision of services as a whole, which means that the loss of 70,000 supported houses across the country.

In 2009, the financing of support for the Ringgerat for the support in connection with residential properties was removed. When the budget budgets were shortened during the austerity measures from 2010, funds were required in other areas, which means that some councils had to cut supported housing services.

The NHF says that there are now less supported houses than in 2007, including a net loss of 3,000 supported houses in the past three years. It calculates that there is a total lack of up to 325,000 supported houses based on unsatisfactory needs.