The Future of Supported Housing Project

Our home is the first foundation for living a good life, and every person across the country should have a home that supports their health, wellbeing and independence. Supported housing provides this foundation for thousands of people in our communities.

But the current system of supported housing is leaving vital homes at risk of closure and too many people are unable to access the homes and support they need to live independently in their communities. That’s why we’ve embarked on an ambitious new project with think tank New Local examining what is and isn’t working now, the opportunities to do things differently. Together we will develop evidence-based recommendations and build a strong case for change.

This is a significant programme of research and policy development work focused on ensuring people can access the right home, in the right place, with the right support to live well and independently. It will develop ambitious, but practical, recommendations for a supported housing system that is financially sustainable, investable and better able to meet people’s needs

Over the next few months, we’ll be publishing regular project updates, news and resources on this page.

What is the project, and what does it aim to do?

The Future of Supported Housing project will examine the funding landscape and wider system for supported housing and clearly set out what’s not working, pinpoint what is working now and how that practice could be scaled up. Those challenges and opportunities can be different for different types of supported housing and we will seek to set that out, alongside the solutions that work for each.

We know that the current system isn’t working for the people who need it. Too many people can’t access the support they need, providers are being forced to scale back or close services, decision makers aren’t joining up and talking to each other, and sometimes even working against each other. And oversight and accountabilty for the whole system is complex and fragmented.

But there is now a real opportunity to drive change. The government is listening, local areas are currently preparing local supported housing strategies and the next Spending Review is a crucial opportunity to make the case for a better future.

We’ll use these ambitious recommendations in our influencing work with the government and other key stakeholders, presenting evidence-based solutions and building a wide consensus for change.

Working with New Local

We are partnering with New Local, an independent think tank who are experts in place-based working. Their focus on local community and place will help the research align strategically with opportunities to shape the system, like the Local Supported Housing Strategies.

The project will be informed by you, our members, through case studies, engagement workshops, and an expert Advisory Board. We will be in touch with you in the coming months with opportunities to get involved, and key research updates.

The Advisory Board

To help shape the project and our thinking, and make the case to decision-makers, we’ve established a Future of Supported Housing Advisory Board. This will sit alongside our existing member engagement forums on supported housing.

We’re very pleased that the Board is being chaired by Terrie Alafat, Chair of Riverside Group and Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust. Terrie brings significant experience working across local and national government and the housing sector.

The Advisory Board held their first meeting on 11 June 2026. At this meeting, the group explored how the policy and funding environment has changed over the last few decades, and the opportunities we have currently to address longstanding challenges.

Who’s on the Advisory Board?

Terrie Alafat CBE - Chair of Riverside Group and Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust (Chair).
Imogen Blood - Founder and Researcher, Imogen Blood and Associates.
Hugh Evans – Executive Director: Adults and Communities, Bristol City Council.
Tina Favier - Deputy Chief Executive, Adur and Worthing Council.
Penelope Green - Head of Evaluation and Influencing, Look Ahead.
Warren Heppolette – Director: Prevention Demonstrator, Greater Manchester Combined Authority
Charlie Norman - Chief Executive, MSV.
Neil Macdonald – Chief Executive, University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust
Seyi Obakin - Chief Executive, Centrepoint.
Dee O'Connell - Director of Policy and Programmes, Pathway.
Professor Vic Rayner - Chief Executive, National Care Forum.
Rachael Shimmin - Chief Executive, Anchor.
Neelam Sunder - Head of Designing Out Homelessness, WMCA.

Project resources and further information

Tell us your supported housing stories

As part of this work, we want to learn about current practice and approaches to funding, commissioning and delivering supported housing, as well as how it supports people to live a good life as part of thriving local communities.

You can contribute by sharing relevant published or unpublished papers, reports, case studies and evaluations, and responding to an online form.

We want to hear from members, partners and residents and people with lived experience of supported housing, so please do share with your networks.

Submit your stories here

Looking back to move forward: what can the history of supported housing funding tell us about its future?

In this blog, Katie Miller, Research Lead at the NHF, explores a new NHF paper delving into the lessons we can learn from the history of supported housing funding.

Read here

Future of Supported Housing: Learning from existing literature

In this literature review, we explore existing literature on how supported housing has been, and currently is, funded in England.