Authority Hub · Resident Welfare
Placements that actually suit the household.
The Jigsaw Suitability Framework — made public.
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.
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.
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?
Brief us once. We handle every detail.
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