Authority Hub · Resident Welfare
Placements that actually suit the household.
The Jigsaw Suitability Framework — made public.
Quick answer
Resident suitability means matching a temporary placement to the actual household: school catchments, accessibility, pets, medical needs and support networks. Suitable placements hold for the full repair period; unsuitable ones break down within days. It is also the legal standard for alternative accommodation under Awaab's Law.
Suitability is what separates a place to sleep from a place to live. Jigsaw's Suitability Framework is the public version of the internal model we apply to every emergency accommodation and decant placement — so operational teams, procurement teams, safeguarding leads and residents themselves can see how a placement decision is made.
Written by Katie Richardson, Operations Director · Public Sector Procurement Specialist Last reviewed June 2026
What suitability actually means
Section 206 of the Housing Act 1996 requires local housing authorities to secure that accommodation is suitable for the household. Insurance policies typically require "reasonable alternative accommodation." Housing-association tenancy conditions require the landlord to provide a like-for-like where the property becomes uninhabitable.
The common thread is a household-centric definition of suitable. A single flat five miles from the resident's job, their child's school and their support network is technically accommodation but not obviously suitable. A hotel room in a town centre may suit a single business traveller but not a family with a pushchair.
We apply the framework below to every placement so that "suitable" isn't a subjective adjective — it is a scored, documented decision.
What matters here
Accessibility
Step-free access, wheelchair access, adapted bathrooms, hearing / visual impairment adaptations, service-animal permission.
Family composition
Number of bedrooms, cot, high-chair, safe outdoor space, sibling / gender separation where required.
Safeguarding
Distance from named-person risks, safeguarding notes, restricted-address handling, escalation to the safeguarding lead.
Cultural fit
Prayer, dietary, community-facility access; freedom-from-alcohol premises where required.
Community ties
Distance from the resident's school, work, GP, family support network — where the resident wants to stay close.
Health considerations
Proximity to hospital or dialysis unit; specialist-care access; medication storage.
How suitability is applied on a placement
- 1
Capture
Suitability requirements captured at the enquiry stage. Nothing is assumed — every question is asked or explicitly noted as N/A.
- 2
Score
Shortlisted properties are scored against the household's specific requirements. Non-suitable options are excluded.
- 3
Present
Shortlist presented to the buyer with the suitability score visible and any trade-offs flagged.
- 4
Confirm
Buyer confirms. The suitability decision, the reasoning and the trade-offs are logged for audit.
- 5
Review
If circumstances change (extension, resident feedback, new information) the placement is re-scored and re-matched where required.
Suitability decisions in practice
Four situations that decide whether a placement holds for the full repair period or breaks down within days.
If
The household includes school-age children
Then
Capture school catchments on the first call and constrain the search area to keep the school run viable. A placement that breaks the school routine rarely survives the works period.
If
A household member uses a wheelchair or has mobility needs
Then
Filter to step-free and adapted stock before shortlisting — never place first and adapt later. Brief the operator on the specific requirements before arrival.
If
The household has pets
Then
Only pet-cleared stock enters the shortlist. Undeclared pets are the most common avoidable cause of placement breakdown — ask explicitly at needs capture.
If
A live placement is showing signs of breaking down
Then
Re-score against the framework, identify which need was missed, and re-match within days — not weeks. Record the cause so the same mismatch never repeats.
Audit your process (free tool)Matching household needs to accommodation type
| Household need | Hotel | Serviced apartment |
|---|---|---|
| First-night emergency roof | Strong — fastest compliant route | Rarely available same-day |
| Family with children, 2+ weeks | Weak — no cooking, cramped, meal costs | Strong — bedrooms, kitchen, routine |
| Step-free / adapted requirements | Variable — depends on property | Filterable — adapted stock identifiable in advance |
| Pets | Rarely accepted | Pet-cleared stock available in most cities |
| Medical or dietary routines | Difficult without a kitchen | Full kitchen supports medication and dietary needs |
| Cultural or religious observances | Limited control over environment | Self-contained space supports observance |
The person-centred standard in Awaab’s Law guidance expects placements matched to the household — not to the nearest available room.
Procurement guidance
Building suitability into your contract
Suitability is a procurement issue before it is an operational one. If the contract doesn’t require it, the supplier won’t evidence it.
- Require a documented household assessment before every placement — composition, catchments, accessibility, pets, vulnerability.
- Make placement breakdown / re-placement rate a contractual KPI with a defined measurement method.
- Require operators to be briefed on household needs before arrival — cots, step-free access, pets cleared.
- Require the suitability rationale to be documented per placement so the file stands up to Ombudsman scrutiny.
Downloads
Working documents for your team — everything in them is also published in full as HTML on this site.
Related services
Sectors we serve
Frequently asked questions
Is the framework mapped to statutory duty?
Can the framework be shared with residents?
What happens when the framework rules out every available property?
Related knowledge
Official legislation & guidance
Related articles & guides
Brief us once. We handle every detail.
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