What is housing support?
Housing support can help you with things like:
- Setting up and maintaining a home
- Developing domestic/life skills
- Developing social skills
- Developing the skills to manage finances and benefit claims
- Accessing other services
- Establishing social contacts/taking part in community activities
- Developing an awareness of personal safety and security issues
- Finding alternative accommodation
- Getting a job, education and training
Housing support does not include the following:
Health and social care services, like getting washed and dressed, giving medication and meals on wheels.
Who can receive housing support?
The supporting people programme can provide support to the following vulnerable groups of people:
- people with alcohol problems
- people with drug problems
- people at risk of domestic violence
- homeless families and single people
- people living with HIV and AIDS
- people with learning disabilities
- people with mental health problems
- offenders or people at risk of offending
- mentally disordered offenders
- older people (including frail elderly and older people with mental health problems/dementia)
- people with a physical or sensory disability
- refugees
- rough sleepers
- teenage parents
- travellers
- young people at risk
- young people leaving care
How and where can I access housing support?
To access a service you can either; contact your local district council, contact your local housing advice service or self refer by contacting the service provider directly. You could be referred by a professional person, such as a doctor, social worker, health worker, probation officer.
Support is available either in your own home or in a variety of types of accommodation including:
- Supported housing projects (these used to be called hostels)
- Refuges for women at risk of domestic violence
- Sheltered accommodation with a warden or scheme manager
- Alarm services for elderly people
- Home Improvement Agencies for older people
Where people receive support in their own home, for example, council tenants, private tenants, home owners, this is usually called floating support (as it is not linked to a specific accommodation)
Will I receive a good service?
The people providing services are monitored to ensure the services provided are of good quality. Among other measures, providers work to a national set of standards called the Quality Assessment Framework.
To make sure that services achieve those standards, the Supporting People team visit services, speak to staff and clients using the service, and check that the support is in line with the standards.
A leaflet is currently being produced but, for the moment, if you need more information please contact the Supporting People team.
How long will support be available to me?
Your needs will be assessed and a support plan drawn up. Help will be available to assist you to meet your needs for as long as you require.
As a general guide;
- Short term services are intended to offer support for no more than two years. Their aim is to help people become more independent in the two year period, so that they will be able to live with without the need for support.
- Long term services are intended to last for more than two years and can sometimes be permanent. These services aim to help people maintain their independence in the community as long as possible.
Will I have to pay anything?
Some support services are free of charge to clients and others are not:
- Short term services (services with a planned duration of less than 2 years) : These services are free to the client.
- Long term services (services with a planned duration of more than 2 years): These services are not automatically free to the client, but you will not have to pay if you are receiving Housing Benefit or Income Support or the Guaranteed element of the Pension Credit OR if you are assessed under the Fairer Charging Policy as being eligible for assistance. For those who apply through a Fairer Charging assessment, entitlement to Supporting People Subsidy will be dependent on your net disposable income.
As there are different services charges for the different kind of support provided, your intended provider should make you fully aware of any charges before you start ot use a service.
How do people apply for Supporting People subsidy?
- Housing Benefit - we will, with your consent, contact your local Housing Benefit Office, or
- Income Support or the Guaranteed Element of Pension Credit – you or your support provider must supply evidence