Agenda item

A report setting out the outcome from the Housing Support Review and recommendations for future housing support arrangements, within an independent living framework.

Cabinet:

 

1)    NOTED the outcome from the Intensive Housing Management (Housing Support) Review;

 

2)    APPROVED the establishment of an Independent Living Framework to provide clarity on the Council’s housing support arrangements and associated costs;

 

3)    DELEGATED authority to the Director for Housing and Communities, in consultation with Portfolio Holder for Housing and Landlord Services to make minor amendments to the Framework and to publish the final version on the Council’s website and provide to tenants;

 

4)    APPROVED that the Council’s Intensive Housing Management Service will cease and be replaced by the arrangements set out in the report recommendations 2.5 and 2.6;

 

5)    APPROVED the implementation of an Independent Living Support Service applied to properties designated as ‘Sheltered Housing’, as specified at section 5.15 of the report, and;

 

5.1)        APPROVED that the cost of delivering the Independent Living Support Service is met by an appropriate service charge, as set out at section 5.26 of the report;

 

5.2)         APPROVED that a 20% discount is implemented in 2024/25, as a contribution to elements of the service that are ineligible for housing benefit;

 

5.3)         APPROVED that a 10% discount is implemented in 2025/26, as a contribution to elements of the service that are ineligible for housing benefit;

 

5.4)         APPROVED that the full Independent Living Service Charge will be implemented from 2026/27;

 

5.5)         APPROVED the commencement of a four-week period of consultation on the proposed Independent Living Support Service for those tenants living within the specified properties;

 

5.6)         DELEGATED Authority to the Director for Housing and Communities, in consultation with the Director for Corporate Services, Portfolio Holder for Housing and Landlord Services and Portfolio Holder for Corporate Property, Finance and Resources to consider feedback from the consultation, finalise and implement an Independent Living Support Service Charge and report back to Cabinet if required;

 

5.7)         DELEGATED authority to the Director for Housing and Communities, in consultation with the Director for Corporate Services and Portfolio Holder for Housing and Landlord Services to create a one-off budget of up to £50,000 to enable improvements to communal areas of the sheltered housing schemes in 2024/25, funded from the HRA Regeneration and Development reserve;

 

6)    APPROVED the personalised exit and transitional plan, as set out in

section 5.33 of the report for the remaining ‘dispersed’ Council properties that have historically been subject to an Intensive Housing Management charge, the outcome of which will be that each tenant will be directly supported to access alternative support and lifeline services relevant to their individual needs and preferences, and;

 

6.1)        APPROVED the commencement of a four-week period of consultation on the proposed personalised exit and transitional plan arrangements for tenants in dispersed properties;

 

6.2)         DELEGATED authority to the Director for Housing and Communities, in consultation with the Director for Corporate Services and Portfolio Holder for Housing and Landlord Services, authority to consider feedback from the consultation, finalise and implement the exit and transitional plan arrangements and to report back to Cabinet if required.

(In an alteration to the agenda, this item was considered after the item ‘matters referred from Scrutiny Committee in accordance with Scrutiny Procedure Rules’.)

 

The Portfolio Holder for Housing and Landlord Services introduced the report and moved the recommendation. The Deputy Leader seconded the motion. It was explained that the report sets out the outcome from the Housing Support Review and recommendations for future housing support arrangements, within an independent living framework.

 

The Director for Housing and Communities provided further explanation of the proposal and the process undertaken to get to this stage.

 

During discussion the following points were noted:

·       Pleasing to see that via a review of the Housing Allocations Policy there would be scope to restrict the allocation of some properties to applicants with defined characteristics.

·       Cabinet recognised that it had taken a while to get to this point.

·       Officers were thanked for reviewing residents’ entitlement to housing benefit in order to mitigate the increase in costs.

·       The subsidised charges were welcomed.

·       It was recognised that communal areas are important, particularly in terms of socialisation for residents.

 

Cabinet:

 

1)    NOTED the outcome from the Intensive Housing Management (Housing Support) Review;

 

2)    APPROVED the establishment of an Independent Living Framework to provide clarity on the Council’s housing support arrangements and associated costs;

 

3)    DELEGATED authority to the Director for Housing and Communities, in consultation with Portfolio Holder for Housing and Landlord Services to make minor amendments to the Framework and to publish the final version on the Council’s website and provide to tenants;

 

4)    APPROVED that the Council’s Intensive Housing Management Service will cease and be replaced by the arrangements set out in the report recommendations 2.5 and 2.6;

 

5)    APPROVED the implementation of an Independent Living Support Service applied to properties designated as ‘Sheltered Housing’, as specified at section 5.15 of the report, and;

 

5.1)         APPROVED that the cost of delivering the Independent Living Support Service is met by an appropriate service charge, as set out at section 5.26 of the report;

 

5.2)         APPROVED that a 20% discount is implemented in 2024/25, as a contribution to elements of the service that are ineligible for housing benefit;

 

5.3)         APPROVED that a 10% discount is implemented in 2025/26, as a contribution to elements of the service that are ineligible for housing benefit;

 

5.4)         APPROVED that the full Independent Living Service Charge will be implemented from 2026/27;

 

5.5)         APPROVED the commencement of a four-week period of consultation on the proposed Independent Living Support Service for those tenants living within the specified properties;

 

5.6)         DELEGATED Authority to the Director for Housing and Communities, in consultation with the Director for Corporate Services, Portfolio Holder for Housing and Landlord Services and Portfolio Holder for Corporate Property, Finance and Resources to consider feedback from the consultation, finalise and implement an Independent Living Support Service Charge and report back to Cabinet if required;

 

5.7)         DELEGATED authority to the Director for Housing and Communities, in consultation with the Director for Corporate Services and Portfolio Holder for Housing and Landlord Services to create a one-off budget of up to £50,000 to enable improvements to communal areas of the sheltered housing schemes in 2024/25, funded from the HRA Regeneration and Development reserve;

 

6)    APPROVED the personalised exit and transitional plan, as set out in section 5.33 of the report for the remaining ‘dispersed’ Council properties that have historically been subject to an Intensive Housing Management charge, the outcome of which will be that each tenant will be directly supported to access alternative support and lifeline services relevant to their individual needs and preferences, and;

 

6.1)        APPROVED the commencement of a four-week period of consultation on the proposed personalised exit and transitional plan arrangements for tenants in dispersed properties;

 

6.2)         DELEGATED authority to the Director for Housing and Communities, in consultation with the Director for Corporate Services and Portfolio Holder for Housing and Landlord Services, authority to consider feedback from the consultation, finalise and implement the exit and transitional plan arrangements and to report back to Cabinet if required.

 

Reasons for the Recommendations

The Council has taken action to review current practices and future service delivery options in relation to the provision of support to tenants through a review of the Intensive Housing Management Service. The review has now concluded and the recommendations within this report provide clarity on the proposed arrangements arising from this review.

 

The review has involved extensive work to fully understand the history, scope and delivery of the Intensive Housing Management Service and to consider future options that can best support tenants to retain their independence, respond to feedback about the service and to ensure that the Council can confidently deliver any future support arrangements.

 

Consultation and engagement has taken place with tenants as part of the review. Feedback has been taken into consideration and has enabled a greater understanding of the views of tenants, types of support required and how this can best be delivered and in doing so, to ensure clarity of expectations and accountability in service delivery.

 

The review has identified a lack of clarity on the Council’s support offer and associated charging arrangements. The Independent Living Framework will help to address this by proving accurate and consistent information for tenants, prospective tenants, their families and for staff, stakeholders and elected members.

 

It is recommended that the Independent Living Support Service is only applied to specific ‘in scope’ properties. The rationale for the in-scope properties is set out in the report and includes traditionally sheltered housing properties and some bungalows adjacent to one of the sheltered housing schemes. The proposed service offer responds to feedback, aligns with expectations for what sheltered housing is, and will have sufficient staffing resources to deliver an effective and high-quality service.

 

It is appropriate and necessary to charge for the proposed Independent Living Support Service and to apply it to all in-scope properties. However, a period of consultation on the specific proposals is required and feedback considered, before any new charges and service delivery arrangements can be finalised and implemented.

 

The Council has considered feedback in relation to the need to reduce cost pressures to tenants where possible. Based on the feedback received, it is proposed that the Independent Living Support Service charges will be phased over a two-year period, with discounts on elements of the charge that are not eligible for housing benefit (ineligible charges) being offered in 2024/25 and 2025/26. The full charge would apply in 2026/27.  Additionally, the report confirms that each tenant subject to the Independent Living Support Service Charge would be supported directly with regards to benefit maximisation, to help tenants access financial support to which they are entitled.

 

The Council will need to ensure an upgrade of the lifeline system within the properties and communal areas to ensure it is digitally enabled and achieves value for money.

 

Feedback from tenants across the wider Intensive Housing Management Service (designated dispersed properties) was varied. Many tenants did not wish to have a chargeable support service at all, some only wanted to have access to a lifeline service, and some expressed a wish to have access to support. There has been considerable tenant frustration about the lack of clarity relating to the Intensive Housing Management Service. Tenants have been given the option to opt out of the service. A model based on visiting support service was developed but was not considered affordable to tenants. Through a managed exit plan, it is considered that the Council can better support tenants on a case-by-case basis to access the support / services relevant to their specific needs and preferences. Managing the exit arrangements will be resource intensive but is considered important and necessary. As part of the exit planning arrangements, the report confirms that tenants would be supported directly with regards to benefit maximisation, to help tenants access financial support to which they are entitled.

 

By no longer providing an Intensive Housing Management Service, the Council will also need to go through a process of ‘de-designating’ dispersed properties meaning that they form part of the council’s general needs accommodation rather than restricted accommodation. There is scope, through a review of the Housing Allocations Policy and / or the use of a Local Lettings Policy (LLP), to restrict the allocation of some properties to applicants with defined characteristics, for example, those over a certain age or with health needs or disabilities. The Council will need to balance the requirement to support sustainable and balanced communities across the borough with tenant expectations and the council’s statutory obligations to assist and house those in greatest need via its housing register.

 

There is an existing delegation in place to enable the development of a Local Lettings Plan alongside this review. The Scrutiny Committee are also due to consider the allocations policy as part of their committee work programme, and it is suggested that this makes reference to any required amendments to the policy arising from this review.

 

The conclusion of the review and implementation of revised arrangements through an Independent Living Framework also responds to recommendations arising from an audit of the Intensive Housing Management Service.