What is supported lodgings?
Supported lodgings is a provision for young people aged 16+ whereby they live in the home of a ‘host’ family or individual. It aims to provide a balance of independence and support, with the host responsible for supporting the young person to develop skills for independence and providing other emotional and practical help.
Who is supported lodgings for?
Different young people arrive with different experiences. What they have in common is the need for a stable home and a trusted adult alongside them.
Young people in care and care leavers
Many young people in care are aged 16-17 and face real challenges as they become care leavers and begin their journey into adulthood. There’s a growing need for safe, supportive places for them to live. With limited options, social workers often have no choice but to place young people far from home and their support networks, increasing the risk of isolation and harm.
Supported lodgings offers a powerful alternative: a stable home, a trusted adult, and the support young people need to move confidently towards independence.
Separated migrant children
Social workers often struggle to find suitable accommodation. Many have experienced trauma and now face the challenge of adjusting to life in a new country, often without family, friends, or a shared language. They need support to settle, find their way locally, and continue their education.
Supported lodgings offers a safe, welcoming home and a caring adult to walk alongside them, helping them rebuild and move forward with confidence.
Young people at risk of homelessness
In 2024-25, 107,585 young people in England faced homelessness, a 6% increase on the previous financial year. Many have left home due to conflict, instability, or unsafe conditions, and find themselves alone at a crucial time in their lives. They need support, guidance, and a stable place to regroup and move forward.
Supported lodgings offers that stability, giving young people a safe home and a trusted adult as they take steps towards independence.
How is supported lodgings different from fostering?
Supported lodgings
Supported lodgings hosts can continue with work and hobbies as young people do not need ongoing care and supervision.
Fostering
Foster Carers need to provide ongoing support and supervision for the children in their care.
Supported lodgings
Young people in supported lodgings are considered a member of your household, rather than a member of your family.
Fostering
Foster Carers are expected to treat young people in their care as if they were their own child.
Supported lodgings
Supported lodgings hosts help a young person move towards living independently and help prepare them for adulthood.
Fostering
Foster Carer is a way of providing a family life for children who are unable to live with their birth family.
Supported lodgings
Supported lodgings hosts need to undertake sufficient training to ensure the safety of a young person living in their home.
Fostering
Foster Carers follow training pathways to help them meet the practical and emotional needs of children who have experienced trauma.
The process of becoming a host
You will have time to ask questions, get to know the role and decide whether hosting feels right for you.
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Make an enquiry
After learning more about supported lodgings, contact your local service to express interest in becoming a host. A local team will get in touch to provide more tailored information.
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Have an initial conversation
A member of the team will arrange to speak with you, by phone, online, or in person. This is a chance for you to ask questions and for the team to learn more about you.
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Begin the assessment
If everyone agrees to move forward, your assessment will begin. This usually includes home visits, background checks (DBS, medical, police), and gathering references.
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Complete your training
You’ll take part in introductory training designed to prepare you for the role of a supported lodgings host and help you understand what to expect.
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Get matched with a young person
Once approved, you’ll join a network of hosts. When a young person needs a home, you may be matched. If the match feels right, a few meetings will be arranged before the young person moves in.
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Support the move to independence
As the young person builds skills and confidence, a move-on plan will be created with you, the young person, and staff. When ready, they’ll move on. Sometimes, hosts and young people stay in touch.
Could hosting work for you?
Explore whether you could hostFrequently Asked Questions
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This is a key consideration for approval of supported lodgings hosts. Having their own room allows the young person “space” and an element of independence.
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The information you receive will typically be as comprehensive as schemes policies on confidentiality allows.
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Training is ongoing, but there are key topics you must complete before a young person moves in. The exact training requirements can vary between schemes, so it’s best to check with your provider at the start of the process.
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As part of a supportive and trusting relationship it is hoped that the young person will be given responsibility for their own key.
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You will not be expected to accommodate a young person during any prolonged absence and other accommodation would be found. For shorter periods, it would depend on your relationship with the young person.
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This will vary and depend on the matching process. The level of support provided will reflect what is appropriate for each individual.
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Initially your social worker or support worker will try to help resolve any difficulties if the issues cannot be resolved a change in living arrangements for the young person will be made.
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There is no requirement for you to allow a young person’s friends to stay overnight. However, you may choose to allow visits once the relationship is well established. Any overnight stays should be carefully considered and are usually agreed in advance.
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You will be police checked along with any family members over the age of 16 who live at your house. Also, anyone who is likely to have regular overnight stays with you, for example, a partner.
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We would hope that the behaviour of the young people living with you is always appropriate, but if it isn’t then there are steps which can be taken. This will be covered as part of your induction training.
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If you are a single person receiving a discount this will not be affected if the young person who lives with you is under 18. If the young person is 18 or over, you may lose your discount; but there are conditions on this. Please seek further guidance on this from your local scheme.
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Find a scheme
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Schemes near you
Distances are approximate and based on the scheme address supplied. A nearby scheme may not cover your local authority area, so please confirm eligibility directly with the scheme.