- Developing Social Housing Policy in NI
- Consultation Responses from NIFHA
- Policy & Practice
- Research
- Supporting People
- Equality And Diversity
Supporting People - An Overview
Supporting People is targeted at vulnerable people who may be living in their own homes, housing association or private tenants or in specialist accommodation e.g. a hostel, a refuge, a foyer, sheltered housing, a residential care home and/or in supported lodgings.
A range of support services can be provided according to the needs of the individual. The support may consist of a home visit for a short period each week, an on-site full time support worker or scheme co-ordinator, advice on home improvement and/or accessing a community alarm service.
It can be permanently attached to a particular tenancy or property or be 'floated' in and out in accordance with the fluctuating needs of particular individuals.
Support services may also be classified as 'short' term or 'long' term according to their aims and objectives. Short term schemes have maximum intended duration of up to two years with the intention of moving people onto independent living and/or increasing the ability to live independently, even if complete independence isn't always a realistic aim.
Support provided in long term services will be either open ended or on a permanent basis.
It is the intention of any scheme which matters: government recognises that not everyone passing through 'short term' services always increases their ability to live independently inside two years.
There is no charge for short term service users. Charges will only be applied to people in long stay services who can afford to pay following an assessment of their financial circumstances. Those people who cannot afford to pay i.e. on low income and/or on benefits will be entitled to claim subsidy from the Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE) to cover the cost of their support charges.
The Department for Social Development (DSD) is responsible for Supporting People in Northern Ireland. They allocate support funding (Supporting People Grant) to the NIHE and monitor their performance. Guidance and information on Supporting People is available on their website via part 5 of the Housing Association Guide.
The NIHE is responsible for implementing the programme locally. It in turn contracts with providers of Supporting People services. The NIHE's strategic priorities for Supporting People services in the Northern Ireland can be viewed in the Supporting People strategy available on their website. Above the NIHE sits the Commissioning Body - a partnership of local housing, social care, health and probation statutory agencies. It is the Commissioning Body that approves the Supporting People Strategy and new Supporting People service commissions in Northern Ireland.
For further information on Supporting People and its operation contact the Supporting People Officer at NIFHA via email: Marie Kerr or telephone 028 9023 0446.
