Two of the biggest umbrella organisations for supported housing providers will merge next month.

According to Inside Housing:

“Homeless Link and Sitra will join to form a group structure next month, a statement published today said.

Rick Henderson, the current chief executive of Homeless Link, will take over as chief executive of the new combined group, while Vic Rayner will step down as chief executive of Sitra at the end of this month after seven years in the role.

Sitra says it will continue to have its own brand and identity but will move to the Homeless Link offices and share management.

The two groups have a significant lobbying role with government and have previously worked with officials to exempt supported housing from the benefit cap and Universal Credit.

Homeless Link is a membership body for homelessness organisations in England.

Sitra is a membership body in England for supported housing organisations, which includes providers of homelessness, mental health, ex-offender and learning disability-specialist accommodation. “