Public Accounts Committee Inquiry into Supported Housing: Written evidence from the Care Quality Commission (CQC)

Thank you for the opportunity to give written evidence to your inquiry into Supported Housing.  We understand the importance of the inquiry, and we wish to provide details of what is in, and out, of the scope of CQC’s regulatory remit for the Committee’s information.

We are the independent regulator of health and social care in England. Our purpose is to make sure health and social care services provide people with safe, effective, compassionate, high-quality care and we encourage care services to improve. The activities we regulate are listed in Schedule 1 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. Our Scope of Registration1 sets out these activities in more detail, including exemptions from registration.

We do not have a role in regulating Supported Housing under our legislation and only regulate accommodation when it is provided together with Personal or Nursing Care. We do not regulate any supported housing but regulate the provision of personal care to some people who live in supported housing. Under the current regulations we look at people’s support if it is provided alongside personal care, using ancillary activities regulations.

Similarly, we have no powers to regulate any support provided by landlords as part of their tenancy. The nature of this support is broad and can be anything from help with benefits, budgeting, maintaining a tenancy, life skills, accessing care and advocacy, participating in activities, education and employment. This type of support does not come within the definition of ‘personal care’, as regulated by CQC. 1 https://www.cqc.org.uk/guidance-providers/registration/regulated-activities.

We are aware that these types of services do not have the same regulatory oversight and there is significant variation in the nature, quality and the outcomes for people. We are aware of ongoing work across Government to address this, and we continue to work with the Department of Health and Social Care to consider any suitable expansion of the definition of ‘personal care’.

Should you require any further information on this, please contact David Ahluwalia, Parliamentary and Stakeholder Engagement Manager via david.ahluwalia@cqc.org.uk.

June 2023