CHS Group’s chief executive Nigel Howlett is calling for the government to recognise the importance of supported housing and the need for secure funding as the national campaign day, Starts at Home, approaches.

Starts at Home is in its second year and run by the National Housing Federation. It celebrates how supported housing helps hundreds of thousands of vulnerable people regain their independence and confidence. CHS provides a wide range of vital supported housing services across Cambridgeshire including supported housing for young people and women who are either homeless or at risk of homelessness, refuges for domestic violence victims and housing for those with learning disabilities or mental health issues.

CHS’s support of Starts at Home comes as uncertainty surrounds the future funding of supported housing. The National Housing Federation and its members are campaigning to persuade the Government to commit to ensuring that every person who needs extra support has a home and service that meets their needs.

Nigel Howlett, chief executive at CHS Group, said: “It’s crucial to continue raising awareness of the importance of supported housing and the Starts at Home campaign provides the platform for this. The government needs to acknowledge the higher cost of supported housing and recognise the need to provide further funding for this. At CHS we’re constantly evaluating our services to make sure they are delivering for those who are most vulnerable in Cambridgeshire and developing new schemes where these are financially viable.”

David Orr, chief executive of the National Housing Federation, said: “Supported housing helps people to live independently and achieve their aspirations in a safe and secure home. It is a critical time for supported housing; we are highlighting how vital a lifeline it is to so many vulnerable people and show the government why supported housing should be put on a secure and sustainable footing for the future.”