Who is the programme for?

Who can get help with housing?

Many people can get housing support through the Supporting People program.

These include:

• homeless people
• people with a learning disability
• people with poor mental health
• older people
• women at risk of domestic violence
• young people leaving care
• people with drug or alcohol use problems
• offenders or people at risk of offending

How does housing support help?

Short-term floating support:

helps people stay independent in their own homes.

Short-term accommodation support: 

helps people, providing housing and support in places like hostels or refuges.

Longer-term support: 

helps people keep their homes by providing ongoing help with their tenancy.

Many different organisations offer housing support, including:

• Housing Associations
• Health and Social Care Trusts
• charities

Do you have to pay for housing support?

It depends on the type of support you need:

• short-term support (like floating support, hostels, or refuges) is free
• long-term support may have a cost, but you might get help from Housing Benefit or Universal Credit to cover it
• if you do not qualify for these benefits, you may need to pay yourself

How to get housing support

If you or someone you know needs help, you can:

• talk to a social worker or health professional
• speak to your housing manager (Housing Association or local Housing Executive office)
• contact a housing support provider directly

Learn more about

available services

Housing Benefit

Find out if you qualify for Housing Benefit in our section on:

Housing Benefit entitlement