Housing Support in Local Housing Strategies

Stephen Sandham

Housing Support team

Key policy messages

• Housing support still matters

• Ending ring fence just reduced bureaucracy

• Tribal research showed £440m saved from £400m analysed

• Saves money on other council budgets and in NHS

Intervention not an outcome

• But contributes to range of outcomes and objectives:– 2012 homelessness target– Addictions or mental health problems– Young people leaving care– At risk of re-offending– Domestic abuse– Independent living for older people or with disabilities– Same as You agenda– Shifting balance of care

Critical elements

• Considering strategic connections• Assessment of current and projected need:

– Anticipated increase in older people– And people with physical and learning disabilities living longer

• Review of existing provision and gaps in services• Your strategy – text less important than depth of analysis• Need assessment tricky• We want to improve guidance / develop new tools to

help local authorities

Examples of inter-connections

• Maximising benefit uptake assists:– anti-poverty objectives– reduces risk of re-offending– helps older people live independently

• Helping ex-homeless to maintain tenancy and attend addiction treatment;– reduces risk of neighbour problems leading to eviction– supports outcomes on homelessness, reoffending

and addiction

Other connections

• Sheltered housing, telecare, aids and adaptations, care and repair, energy assistance together:– help older people live independently– delay admissions to care homes– reduce length of stay in hospitals– contribute to shifting balance of care and

tackling health inequalities

Opportunity to consider wider strategic issues

• Transition points between strategies and services

• Scope to join up services more effectively?• Extending housing support to new groups?• Charging policies?• Reducing perverse incentives?• Personalising services?• Evaluating impact of housing support? • Maximising efficiencies without losing benefits of

prevention

Outcomes – one example• LHS outcome: Accessible housing with support for all frail older people and those

with disabilities• Indicators / Data source:

– Number of households getting accessible housing as a proportion of those who need it– Average waiting time for accessible housing or housing support– Increase in average age on admission to care homes or reduction in average length of stay

in care homes– Reduction in hospital bed days for people over 65 / emergency admissions

• Target: Reduce waiting time for accessible housing and housing support by X% over 5 years

• Key action and commitments:– Agree plan for recording data– Develop plan with NHS, Social Work and RSLs for providing more accessible housing and

increased housing support, considering need for greater investment in services such as aids and adaptations / telecare / care and repair as well as specialist supported accommodation (sheltered / extra care housing)

– Agree realistic timelines for implementation

Wide range of relevantlocal indicators

• Number of emergency bed days in acute specialities for 65+ age group

• Number of 65+ admitted twice or more to hospital• Mental health admissions• Rates of domestic abuse• Reconviction rates• Percentage of potentially homeless who do not

become homeless / in settled accommodation