Supported housing · England
Housing Benefit & service-charge audit
An independent check of the evidence behind your enhanced Housing Benefit claims and the way your service charges are worked out, before your council or a Housing Benefit review asks.
Update 22 October 2026: draft regulations are out for consultation until 10 December 2026. These are proposals, not law. Supported housing licensing is not in force yet. Read the consultation on GOV.UK
What we check
- Whether each scheme meets the Housing Benefit definition of specified or exempt accommodation you rely on
- Evidence that more than minimal care, support or supervision is actually provided (support plans, contact logs, staffing)
- Eligible versus ineligible service charges, and how each charge is calculated and apportioned
- Rent and service-charge schedules, void and bad-debt assumptions, and year-on-year changes
- Records councils usually ask for: leases, management agreements, occupancy agreements and support contracts
- How a future licence fee could be recovered through service charges if the draft regulations are made
What you get
- Written findings report, rated red, amber or green by area
- Prioritised action plan with owners and dates
- Evidence checklist to use for future Housing Benefit reviews
- Optional follow-up review after you make the changes
Ongoing tracking of service charges and Housing Benefit evidence is also built into the supported housing software.
Law today vs proposed
Today: the current Housing Benefit rules for specified and exempt accommodation apply. Councils decide claims and can ask for evidence of the support provided and how charges are set.
Proposed: the government intends to link Housing Benefit to the planned licensing scheme, and the draft 2027 regulations expect licence fees to be set locally on a cost-recovery basis. None of this is law yet.
What this is not
This is a compliance and evidence review, not legal or accountancy advice, and we do not make Housing Benefit decisions. We will tell you when you need a solicitor or accountant. If you provide personal care, see CQC registration for supported living.
Know your numbers stand up
Tell us how many schemes and properties you run and we'll confirm scope and price.