Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information her Department holds on arrangements for sharing intelligence between police forces, local authorities and relevant regulators concerning criminal exploitation associated with supported exempt accommodation.

The Government is working with policing and other partners to strengthen the way data is used through improved integration, common standards and clearer national parameters and guidance, while retaining appropriate local decision making and safeguards.

The Government is strengthening the response to the criminal exploitation of vulnerable people in their homes through the Crime and Policing Act 2026, which creates a bespoke offence of cuckooing. This makes it an offence to exercise control over another person’s dwelling without their consent for the purpose of enabling the dwelling to be used in connection with the commission of specified criminal activity.

Effective identification and disruption of cuckooing relies on close partnership working between police, local authorities and safeguarding partners, both to share relevant information lawfully and to ensure vulnerable victims are identified and supported.

The government is also implementing the measures in the Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Act to raise standards and drive out the minority of poor providers taking advantage of the Housing Benefit system whilst providing little or no support to residents. On 15 October the government took the next step in implementing the Act by publishing a consultation on draft regulations, which will close on 10 December. The licensing regulations will be laid early next year following the analysis and consideration of consultation responses. We expect licensing to be fully implemented in 2027/28.