Housing 21 and Anchor Trust voice Supporting People concerns to select committee

Government needs to provide a more coherent strategy on sheltered housing if it is to protect vulnerable older tenants from destructive changes, Housing 21 and Anchor Trust have warned.

The organisations voice their concerns in written submissions to the Communities and Local Government Select Committee Inquiry on Supporting People, warning that the Supporting People regime is failing sheltered housing tenants in some areas.

Anchor and Housing 21 are major providers of services to older people and announced in March that they were working more closely together to raise awareness of the changing needs of older people.

They point out that sheltered housing is a high impact, low-cost preventative service that should not be subject to the same level of bureaucracy as higher-cost support services. There is a lack of understanding or recognition of the value of sheltered housing, which remains a popular choice among older people. The loss of ring fencing raises concern that this will accelerate the loss of preventative services such as sheltered housing.

The move towards ‘floating support’ has in many areas been confused and has undermined sheltered housing. There is serious concern that its introduction by local authorities replaces the option of an integrated housing and support solution and it is vital that this option is not removed.

Their recommendation is for a more coherent Government strategy on the future of sheltered housing, looking at funding and viability as well as how sheltered housing fits with other local strategies. Above all, the link between housing and housing-related support must remain intact in sheltered housing and older people’s needs should be at the heart of the decision-making process.

Anchor Trust Chief Executive John Belcher said: “The development of the government’s individual budgets agenda could be a key opportunity to give those living in socially-rented sheltered housing the freedom to choose an integrated housing and support option. We are confident that our tenants want this integrated service – and they should be given the freedom to choose that option.”

Melinda Phillips, Chief Executive of Housing 21, added: “We know that isolation and loneliness amongst older people is one of the biggest challenges facing our ageing society. Housing with integrated low level support, as provided in sheltered housing, is a life-line for many older people providing them with a good later life and preventing depression and other mental health problems."

John Belcher will be giving oral evidence to the inquiry at 5.30pm on Monday 15 June.