BBC Panorama: private companies profiting from supported housing in Birmingham
A BBC Panorama investigation found that some companies in the supported exempt accommodation (SEA) system receive housing benefits for vulnerable residents without providing the required support. In Birmingham alone, the DWP paid out £410m in the last financial year; the city has more than 34,000 SEA residents. Journalists documented adverts for 'ghost residents' on social media, a £1.8m write-off by one of the largest providers, and residents' complaints about a lack of help.
Nilufar Karimova