Essex Supported and Specialist Housing and Accommodation Need Assessment 2025 (ESSHNA)

The Supported and Specialist Housing Need Assessment (2025) (SSHNA) provides estimates of future need for supported and specialist housing and accommodation for the administrative area of Essex County Council.  It does not include the unitary authorities of Southend-on-Sea and Thurrock.

The SSHNA covers adult and children population groups who draw on Social Care support funded by Essex County Council and others with lower-level needs who may not draw on Social Care from Essex County Council but who have support needs that affect their housing and accommodation.  It does not cover the housing and accommodation needs of people who are homeless but includes people who have support needs that affect their housing and accommodation which may be a result of homelessness or risk of homelessness.

The evidence base is designed to enable the current local authorities in Essex, future unitary local authorities and Mayor in Essex to produce commissioning intentions, market position statements, other local housing plans, strategies, and local housing need assessments, Supplementary Planning Documents and other planning guidance for housing developers.  The SSHNA also meets a number of statutory responsibilities placed under the Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Act (2023). It also provides part of the evidence base for the next iteration of Local Plans, future Unitary Local Plans and the Spatial Development Strategy produced by the Mayor.

Estimates of the need for supported and specialist housing and accommodation are shown at Essex County Council level and are disaggregated to the 12 Essex District Borough and City Councils and to Essex quadrants.

Essex Supported and Specialist Housing and Accommodation Need Assessment (2025) Doc

Essex Supported and Specialist Housing and Accommodation Need Assessment (2025) PDF