Guidance

Letting accommodation funded through the Rough Sleeping Accommodation Programme: guidance for local authorities and private registered providers

Updated 20 May 2026

Applies to England

May 2026 updates

• paragraph 2: local authorities are able to set expectations of lengths of stay
• paragraph 4: description of eligible cohorts
• paragraphs 11b, 11c, 11d and 11e: local lettings requirements
• paragraph 14: lettings by Private Registered Providers
• paragraph 17: licences
• paragraph 18: continuation of tenancies

The previous version of this guidance is available on the National Archives.

Context

1. The Rough Sleeping Accommodation Programme (RSAP) aims to deliver up to 6,000 units of supported move-on accommodation for rough sleepers over the course of this parliament. The £433 million programme includes funding for capital and revenue based longer-term accommodation schemes as well as provision for the support people need to recover from rough sleeping. This investment from central government will bring forward accommodation that forms a long-term national asset which will support our efforts to tackle rough sleeping for years to come. Tenancies for the homes provided through this programme will be for a maximum of two years (with three years being permissible in certain circumstances) ensuring that this accommodation continues to be available for rough sleepers for many years.

2. From 2026/27, local authorities are able to set expectations of lengths of stay and support services that best meets individual and local needs. Durations of 2 to 3 years are still encouraged, to help maintain momentum towards appropriate long term housing options and ensure that local housing pathways have sufficient move-on stock, but this will no longer form a mandatory grant condition.

3. On 29 October 2020, we announced allocations of the first tranche of this funding. Schemes for more than 3,300 new long-term homes for rough sleepers across the country have been approved, backed by government investment of more than £150 million.

4. As set out above and in the guidance for this programme, accommodation funded through RSAP must meet certain requirements. These include the following:

• Each unit of property must be made available for the eligible cohort who are individuals that are experiencing or at risk of homelessness and rough sleeping, with a primary focus on people who require support to prevent rough sleeping or a return to it. Maximum of two or three years tenancies is no longer a mandatory requirement.

5. This guidance sets out options for how local authorities (LAs) and private registered providers (PRPs) in receipt of RSAP funding can grant tenancies which meet the requirements of RSAP, and the amendments to allocation schemes that may be necessary. The options listed below are not mutually exclusive and LAs may choose to adopt more than one of these approaches.

Flexible tenancies

6. LAs are able to grant secure flexible tenancies for a minimum two year fixed term, provided their published tenancy policy includes their use. For most LAs the use of flexible tenancies to meet the requirements of RSAP is likely to require amendments to the tenancy policy, including setting out the length of the term of tenancy and the circumstances in which LAs may or may not grant another tenancy, including a process for move-on to alternative accommodation, at the end of the fixed term.

Non-secure tenancies

7. LAs are able to create non-secure tenancies to deliver their homelessness duties under Part 7 of the Housing Act 1996 (paragraph 4, schedule 1, Housing Act 1985). Although LA housing has long been used as temporary accommodation for homeless households owed the ‘main’ homelessness duty, since the introduction of the Homelessness Reduction Act, LAs can also offer their properties to those owed the ‘relief duty’ under powers to secure accommodation for people who are not owed the main duty. This could include eligible individuals who do not have priority need or are considered intentionally homeless. For those who are not owed the main duty the LA has powers to both extend their relief duty beyond 56 days, and to secure accommodation as a reasonable step towards relieving homelessness. RSAP properties let in this way would deliver a form of high-quality temporary housing with appropriate support which is much needed for the eligible individuals working towards independence, without creating a lifetime tenancy that would take the RSAP unit out of the pool of properties available for those needing such a stepping stone in the future.

8. Offers of non-secure tenancies are not allocations under Part 6 of the Housing Act 1996, and therefore their use for RSAP units would not necessitate any amendments to an LA’s allocation scheme. However, LAs are strongly encouraged to develop a policy to ensure available units are offered to the eligible individuals with greatest need. This could be a stand-alone policy document, or incorporated within an LA temporary accommodation placement policy. A policy and associated procedures should also address:

• notification that the relief duty is to be extended for those who are not owed the main duty
• regular review and updating of Personalised Housing Plans
• arrangements for rehousing that will bring the relief duty and non-secure tenancy to an end

9. As Housing Act 1996 Part 6 provides reasonable preference to applicants who are homeless, former rough sleepers owed the relief duty are likely to have priority within allocations schemes. However, local policies should also include how the relief duty and tenancy will be ended where there is no reasonable prospect of a social housing offer, through an offer of a suitable PRS tenancy.

Local lettings policies

10. LAs are able to develop ‘local lettings policies’ (LLPs) within their allocation schemes which enable them to allocate housing for individuals who meet a particular description, although LAs are still required to demonstrate that their overall approach meets the statutory requirements for groups with reasonable preference.

11. LAs could therefore adopt a new LLP to cover lettings to RSAP units to ensure they are offered to eligible individuals in-line with the requirements of the programme. We expect LLPs being used in this way to set out:

a. That LAs will let their own properties, or make nominations to properties held by RPs, that are made available through RSAP.

b. That lets for the RSAP units will be made to those individuals who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness and rough sleeping, with a primary focus on people who require support to prevent rough sleeping or a return to it.

c. Mandatory maximum tenancy term is no longer a requirement.

d. That properties belonging to private RPs will be let at the discretion of local authorities on appropriate tenure and support services that best meets individual and local needs.

e. That LA properties will be let at the discretion of local authorities on appropriate tenure and support services that best meets individual and local needs.

f. The process for onward moves into permanent settled housing, including through the allocation scheme where rehousing preference is to be awarded to RSAP tenants.

12. LAs must consult with their PRP partners on any major changes to their allocations policy, and bring it to the attention of those who are affected by the change. It will be for LAs to decide on the level of consultation required to amend schemes to facilitate lettings and nominations to the additional units made available through RSAP.

Lettings by Private Registered Providers (PRP)

13. PRPs are required to operate allocations policies that are fair and transparent, and will therefore need to consider whether arrangements for identifying tenants for their RSAP funded units are included within their existing policy and nominations arrangements.

14. The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 significantly reforms the assured tenancy regime and will eventually remove assured shorthold tenancies (ASTs) from use across the private sector, including for tenants of Private Registered Providers (PRPs). From 1 May 2026, PRPs can only offer an assured periodic tenancy, except where the property is offered as social housing. From October 2027, the changes will also apply to social housing tenancies, so that existing ASTs convert to periodic tenancies, and all new PRP tenancies will be assured periodic tenancies.

15. Social housing means that defined in section 68 of the Housing and Regeneration Act 2008, which are lettings at below market rates available to people whose needs are not adequately met by the commercial housing market. As RSAP was created to address such needs and at affordable or social rents, RSAP tenancies will generally be social housing. However, it will be for PRPs to determine whether or not it is a social housing tenancy and in either case, apply the relevant legal framework.

Amending allocations schemes

16. Where LAs are letting RSAP units as secure flexible tenancies, or as ASTs through nomination to an PRP, these will be allocations under Housing Act 1996 Part 6. There will need to be consideration of what amendments are required to the allocation scheme to enable these lettings to be properly targeted to former rough sleepers with the greatest need. Although the RSAP properties can be used to accommodate people at risk of homelessness where local areas have effectively ended rough sleeping; the priority must be to offer the accommodation to move on rough sleepers and former rough sleepers where there continues to be this need.

Licences

17. The nature of the units funded through RSAP will generally mean that offering licence agreements – as opposed to tenancies – will not be appropriate. If there are circumstances where an LA/PRP thinks that a periodic licence should be used it will be for the LA/PRP to satisfy themselves, taking legal advice where necessary, that the use of a licence is appropriate. There are no circumstances in which an excluded licence agreement will be considered appropriate.

Continuation of tenancies

18. Local authorities may wish to offer a lifetime tenancy in the same property where an individual is settled and actively engaged with local services. This is permissible where the property continues to form part of the local authority’s homelessness pathway. Where the property no longer forms part of that pathway, an alternative and equivalent unit must be provided in its place. Where capital grant is recycled into an alternative property, local authorities and Private Registered Providers should have regard to the published guidance here.