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The evidence base.

The national research on supported housing, mental health discharge, and the cost of getting this wrong, with sources you can check.

Breaking the Cycle, Royal College of Psychiatrists, 2026

RCPsych's 2026 report on the supported housing shortfall in mental health. Headline findings: an annual NHS cost of around £102m attributed to people waiting in inpatient beds for supported housing, with potential savings of £53m to £65m a year if the gap were filled. Supported housing costs around a third of an inpatient placement.

Mental Health Inpatient Statistics, NHS England, 2025

NHS England's analysis of delayed discharge bed days in mental health services in 2024/25. Housing related delays accounted for 22% of all delayed discharge days. 121,695 additional inpatient bed days in England were lost to people waiting for supported housing.

Social Services National Outcomes Framework, Welsh Government, 2025

The 2024/25 framework showing Housing Support Grant services deliver £1.40 net saving per £1 spent in Wales, with £204m saved to health, £177m to social care, and £70m to criminal justice.

Commissioner Guidance for Adult Community Mental Health Rehabilitation, NHS England

NHS England's framework for commissioners around community mental health rehabilitation, with explicit reference to integrated housing and support.

The Look Ahead Report, 2026

Look Ahead's joint report with RCPsych and the National Housing Federation analysing the supported housing gap, the national cost, and proposed solutions.

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