JM Consultants provides UK-wide supported living consultancy, fire risk assessments and legionella risk assessments, combining sector experience with accredited fire safety qualifications.
Our Story
At JM Consultants, our combined experience ensures clients receive advice that is:
Grounded in sector knowledge
Informed by regulatory understanding
Practically implementable
Professionally delivered
We work collaboratively with providers, landlords and housing partners across the UK to improve compliance, reduce risk and support safe, sustainable service delivery.
At JM Consultants, our leadership team combines extensive social housing expertise with accredited fire risk assessment qualifications.
We provide practical, sector-informed consultancy and risk assessment services across the UK, supporting supported living providers, housing associations and property managers.
John Spencer
Director | Supported Living & Housing Compliance Specialist
John brings over 17 years’ experience in the social housing sector, with specialist expertise in supported living environments and housing compliance.
Development & Scheme Expertise
John has been closely involved in the development, mobilisation and operational structuring of supported housing schemes, working collaboratively with:
Housing Associations
Private Registered Providers
Funders and investment partners
Care Providers
His experience includes supporting schemes from initial concept and funding discussions through to operational delivery, ensuring alignment between property provision, care models and regulatory expectations.
John understands the commercial, regulatory and operational pressures that shape supported living projects and provides advice that is proportionate, realistic and aligned with sector standards.
Strategic Liaison & Stakeholder Engagement
John has extensive experience liaising with:
Local Authorities
Adult Social Care departments
Commissioning teams
Housing Benefit departments
He has supported funding discussions, navigated supported housing rent structures, and ensured schemes meet local authority and commissioner expectations.
His ability to work across housing, care and regulatory stakeholders ensures structured, compliant and sustainable service delivery.
Regulatory Expertise
John holds strong working knowledge of:
The Regulator of Social Housing standards
Governance and viability expectations
Consumer standards
Risk management and compliance frameworks
This regulatory understanding ensures that consultancy advice is aligned not only with operational best practice, but also with sector-wide regulatory requirements.
Qualifications
Foundation Degree (FdA) – Housing with Support
Level 3 Award in Fire Risk Assessment (RQF)
Andrew Hopkinson
Director | Housing & Development Specialist
Andrew has worked in the public sector, third sector and private sector in social care, specialising in the support of, and development of accommodation for both children's and adult's provision.
Qualified in Business and Managment to Master's level, holding an MBA qualification. In addition, Andrew is qualified to Master's level with an MSc in profound and complex disability. This provides a thorough understanding of the social care, supporting living and support and accommodation needs of vulnerable adults.
Andrew has worked for' several large national support providers as Head of Business Development for supported living, and Head of New Build Development for supported housing.
During this time Andrew worked on change management, restructures, identifying new business opportunities and income streams, as well as many other aspects; with contacts in the NHS and local authorities across the four nations, as well as architects, land agents, funds and contractors to deliver a pipeline of 100 specialist supported housing schemes.
Andrew works closely with local councils to provide accommodation solutions for vulnerable people, Registered Provider housing associations to agree leases; Housing Benefit approvals, and local authority and NHS departments to agree care contracts, and rental guarantees to cover voids in all supported housing developments.
In 2014, Andrew founded Homelife, a specialist property development company to provide supported housing for local authority, NHS and support provider partners.
In addition, Andrew is a founding member of the Insight Group, and Connected by Design Campaign for accessible housing for wheelchair users. Chaired by Lord Best, this provides the opportunity to interact directly with decision makers in Parliament and network with high-level industry experts to influence policy, and the development of accessible housing.
Qualifications
Master's degree in Business and Management (MBA)
Mater's degree in Profound and Complex Disability (MSc)
Leadership Approach
As Directors of JM Consultants, John and Mark combine sector experience with technical assessment expertise to deliver:
Practical compliance solutions
Clear reporting
Reliable professional advice
Sector-informed recommendations
Their combined experience ensures clients receive advice grounded in real-world housing operations, regulatory understanding and risk management expertise.
