What is Supporting People?
Supporting People is a way of paying for housing related support
services for tenants, some people who live in a leasehold property,
and some people who own their own homes. Supporting People pays for
the housing related support service that is provided to vulnerable
members of the community.
What is housing related support?
Some basic housing related support services might meet the
following needs:
- Learning how to budget and pay bills
- Learning how to be safe in and out of the home
- Learning how to fill in forms and deal with
authorities
- Learning how to assess own support needs
- Understanding rights and responsibilities
- Support to link into care and health opportunities
- Finding services to meet other cultural needs
- Support to improve self-worth, control feelings and improve
relations with others and engaging in community activity
- Accessing emergency support in a crisis
Supporting People’ does not pay for any care that service users
receive; this continues to be paid for separately. For example the
Supporting People Fund does not pay for someone who makes meals or
for personal care.
Supporting People does not cover health and social care services
such as Home Care Support, Community Meals, and Personal Care such
as bathing and toileting.
Who gets Supporting People Services?
Supporting People services are provided to many different
people, including:
- young people (including care leavers)
- older people
- people with learning disabilities
- people with physical disabilities
- people with mental health impairments
- people with ex-offenders
- recovering substance mis-users
- people fleeing domestic violence
I’ve recently moved into a sheltered housing scheme.
I’ve got savings and I am not entitled to housing benefit. Do I
have to pay all of the support charge myself?
You can choose to have a financial assessment. This assessment
looks at your income and capital and works out if Supporting People
can pay part of your support charge.
I’ve always been on Housing Benefit but the support part
of my tenancy account is showing as not paid. What should I
do?
Supporting People pays a subsidy to service providers for any
tenant on Housing Benefit and then the provider puts the money into
individual accounts. Ask your service provider if they have been
paid the subsidy but not yet allocated it to your account.
What happens if I already get help from other
services?
You can still get housing support even if you have help through
social services or health care.
You may also be able to increase the amount of help you receive
even if you are already receiving some housing support.
Can I get housing support on its own even if I do not
need any other kind of help?
Yes. Many people of all ages and abilities may need practical
support to help them to become or to carry on being independent in
their own home.
The idea behind Supporting People is that you have the main say
in deciding what kind of support and help you would like, providing
that it is the kind of support that Supporting People can pay
for.
Will it affect my other benefits?
No. Supporting People will not affect any other benefits you may
receive, for example Disability Living Allowance and Attendance
Allowance.
What happens if I no longer want this help?
You can decide at any time that you no longer want to be
helped.
How do I know that the services provided are good
enough?
The Supporting People Team review and monitor services regularly
ensuring they achieve successful outcomes and move on’s.
Any service provided will not be given a long-term contact until
they have been reviewed.
Do I have a right to Supporting People
Services?
No. Whilst the we would like to meet everyone’s support
needs this is not possible as funds are limited.
Some people will get support because they live in particular
accommodation. But the level of support will be based on an
assessment of peoples need.
There may be a waiting list for both accommodation and
support.
How can I access a service?
You can access a service by contacting a provider direct.
The
Supporting
People Directory lists all our services detailing the
client group they support and how to contact them.
How can I find out more information regarding Supporting
People?
Please contact your local Supporting People team on 01275 888
440 or ask your support provider for more information about the
programme.
More information is available on our
Supporting People
pages.
