Panorama finds Birmingham supported housing residents get little support while firms profit
A Panorama investigation has found vulnerable people in Birmingham supported housing get little or no support while private firms and agents profit from taxpayer-funded benefits.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
A Panorama investigation has heard allegations that vulnerable people in Birmingham are being placed in supported housing that offers little or no support while private companies and property agents take large sums from the taxpayer.
Supported exempt accommodation lets providers charge much more than normal housing benefit rates because they are meant to supply both housing and support, including help for domestic abuse victims, drug users and people at risk of homelessness. Social media accounts in Birmingham have been used by property agents to attract people into such properties. One advert offered a reward of up to £500 after four months, a PS5 for boys and a Dyson hair product for women.
A charity told the programme that some residents receive no meaningful support while providers and agents receive large benefit payments. It described the system as a way of taking very vulnerable people and using them effectively as cash cows to generate income that goes from the Department for Work and Pensions into the landlord's pocket.
Spending on supported housing in Birmingham increased by almost a third in the past year to £410 million. The city has more supported housing properties than anywhere else in Britain, and the impact on some neighbourhoods has been severe. Jane and Melvin, who spent four years living beside a supported housing property, said their CCTV captured shouting, swearing and fighting every day and night. Their front door was kicked in twice by people who did not live there, and a tenant once put a foot through a fence panel. They said it was a shame how the people in the property were treated and that nobody seemed to care.
A law was passed in 2023 to improve conditions in the supported housing sector in England. Three years later, the programme reported, it is bogged down in government consultation with no practical difference. Ministers say they are working to improve the system, while demand is described as absolutely crazy and some companies continue to profit.
The programme, Panorama: The Big Housing Rip-Off, is available on iPlayer.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, grouped by how many channels reported each one. Select a dot to see the source excerpt.
| Claim |  |
|---|---|
| Only on one channel | |
| A 2023 law intended to improve supported housing conditions in England was reported to remain in government consultation with no practical difference. | |
| Allegations were reported that some supported housing residents in Birmingham receive little or no support while private companies receive large sums from government. | |
| Spending on supported housing in Birmingham reportedly rose by almost a third in the past year to £410 million. | |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
BBC ONE West led on the Panorama investigation into Birmingham's supported housing sector. It focused on allegations of poor support, private profit, the scale of spending and neighbourhood impact, and noted that 2023 legislation has not yet produced practical change. No other channel transcript is available for comparison.
- “some residents of such properties receive no meaningful support”
- “using them effectively as cash cows”
- “A law was passed in 2023 to improve conditions in the supported housing sector in england But three years later, it is bogged down in government consultation Amid no practical difference”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.