Supported housing licensing
Supported housing licensing: what it means for your records
The Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Act 2023 sets up a licensing regime for supported exempt accommodation in England. The government published draft licensing regulations for consultation on 15 October 2026. The consultation closes on 10 December 2026, and no start date has been set yet.
What the draft rules say (as of October 2026)
- ·Every council area would run a licensing scheme, with one licence per provider per council area, lasting five years.
- ·Every resident's needs would be assessed within four weeks of moving in.
- ·Support would need to meet the National Supported Housing Standards.
- ·Councils could ask a licence holder for any document it holds, including electronic records.
These are draft rules and may change after the consultation.
What councils already look at today
Councils already check the support behind supported housing claims. Government guidance to councils gives more weight to support that is regular, one to one and actually delivered.
What clear, dated records look like
- ·A needs assessment, dated, within four weeks of moving in
- ·A support plan with goals the resident agreed, and progress against them
- ·A record of every session: who, when, what was done, and the resident's own view
- ·Reviews and risk assessments kept up to date
How we help
Our team writes and checks session notes, support plans, reviews and risk assessments on your own templates, so they are clear, dated and in one place when anyone asks.
This page explains the draft rules in plain English. It is not legal advice.
Next steps
Free, confidential support review: see where your records stand today.