Birmingham City Council responds to DLUHC report on Exempt Accommodation

“We very much welcome the recommendations in this report which reflects what Birmingham City Council has been saying for a long time in relation to supported exempt accommodation. Thanks to the tireless work of so many housing groups, tenant organisations and local forums in Birmingham the government has finally woken up to the scale of the problem and based on this report they must now commit parliamentary time to bringing in new legislation or backing Bob Blackman’s Supported Housing Bill.

“Our experience and evidence gathered through the pilot in Birmingham was critical in securing this inquiry, and as well as giving evidence to the committee earlier this month I hosted an event at in Birmingham on the subject which was attended by over 240 politicians, providers and tenants from across the West Midlands and beyond. The recommendations in this report entirely reflects the view expressed at the event that to make a real difference any legislation must give local authorities like Birmingham the ability to control the growth in exempt or supported housing, the funding to ensure that vulnerable tenants get the help and support they need and the powers to close down bad providers.

“We will be providing evidence to the DLUHC Committee session on the proposed legislation in Bob Blackmans bill and we will not become complacent locally. We are bringing forward a Council motion to back Crisis’ ‘Regulate the Rogues’ campaign, and requesting an independent inquiry into the growth of the sector in Birmingham, whilst also seeking more transparency from members with an interest in exempt accommodation.”