Housing support in Scotland: policy drivers Yvette Burgess Housing Support Enabling Unit

Overview Public Sector Reform Preventative agenda and older people Removal of the SP ringfence Trends in local authority spend

Health and social care NHS and Community Care Act 1990 Community Care: A Joint Future 2000 Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001 Kerr Review 2005 Better Health, Better Care 2007 Reshaping Care for Older People Christie Commission 2011

Public sector reform ‘…..rising demand for public services will take place in an environment of constrained public spending. In the absence of a willingness to raise new revenue through taxation, public services will have to 'achieve more with less'.’ Dr Campbell Christie CBE June 2011

Scottish Government commitment to public sector reform through: Prevention Partnership Workforce development Performance

Scotland’s housing strategy for older people Age, Home And Community: A Strategy For Housing For Scotland's Older People: 2012 – 2021 Recognises the important role housing related support across all housing tenures ‘but could do a lot more’ Acknowledges importance of support with minor repair and maintenance issues

Change fund and older people £70m in 2011/12; £80m in 2012/13 Community Planning Partnerships with Health lead but also interface with houising and voluntary sector Experience of first year

Funding of housing support Ringfence removed from Supporting People on In 2007/08 SP was £401m Block grant to local authorities has included notional SP element since By 2011/12 notional SP grant £411.16m ….but….was it spent on housing support?

Trends in funding / projected funding 28 / 32 local authorities have responded so far 2011/12 average change of -3.22% whereas overall change in notional SP was -0.43% 2012/13 18 local authorities have been able to confirm level of change which averages at -2.03% compared to a near standstill level of block grant Conclusion: housing support funding is being hit disproportionately

Preventative, low level support at risk Support packages < 2hours per person per week: 2008/ % of provision 2009/ % of provision Support packages > 10hours per person per week: 2008/ % 2009/ % Source: HSEU Research into Housing Support Funding Levels and Service Volume in Scotland in 2009/10

Local authorities focusing on intense needs Audit Scotland: Commissioning Social Care Report March 2012 “As budgets come under growing pressure, there are signs that councils are concentrating resources on people who need intensive support. There is a risk that people who need a small amount of support may not get the help they need to live independently. Their early problems may worsen more quickly without this help and this may lead to greater cost over the longer term.” John Baillie Accounts Commission chair

Conclusions Policy in Scotland is focusing on prevention and integration of health and social care Housing support has much to contribute to achieving this shift in focus Trends in public sector funding suggests disproportionate funding restrictions on housing support

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