1. Supported housing in Scotland and the role of housing associations
Yvette Burgess
Unit Director, Housing Support Enabling Unit
In conjunction with the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations

2. Overview
Housing associations working in partnership with voluntary sector support providers: Model 1
Core and cluster working where accommodation based services are provided in conjunction with visiting support to other tenancies: Model 2
Integrated delivery of services with health and local authority partners: Model 3

3. HA maintains a landlord role and issues tenancy agreement
Model 1: HAs working in partnership with a voluntary sector support provider
HA maintains a landlord role and issues tenancy agreement
Voluntary sector provider may take on elements of the landlord role such as helping managing rent payments or helping to arrange repairs
Properties can be developed specifically for people with specific needs or can be existing properties in the area
Typically small scale
Managing agent arrangements.

4. Existing provision needed to be replaced
Model 1: example
Organisations involved: Penumbra (voluntary organisation working with people with mental health problems); Langstane Housing Association and Aberdeen City Council
Existing provision needed to be replaced
Langstane HA was developing new housing
11 properties identified at the planning stage for people with mental health problems to be supported by Penumbra
Re-thinking existing provision - developed through the closure of long stay hospitals in the 1990s
Moving away from landlord function and support provider being provided by one organisation
Housing associations have a good track record of working with voluntary organisations in Scotland which provide the necessary support
developed through the closure of long stay hospitals in the 1980s / 1990s
20 years ago Penumbra developed 4 supported housing projects in Aberdeen – were able to use capital health funding. Deemed no longer relevant to the needs of people who had not faced the institutionalisation which the original tenants had. It was deemed better to cut the link between the accommodation and the support provision.

5. Papermill Court, Aberdeen Recovery focused support
Practical support – promoting life skills
Social support – mixing with others and being part of the local community
Emotional support – building trust and positive relationship with support worker
Involvement in decision making
Referral to LHA from the Aberdeen Mental Health Resource Panel
Tenancy with LHA
Partnership working between Langstane HA, Penumbra and Aberdeen City Council. Opportunistic rather than planned partnership.
Penumbra was able to influence design issues because of their early involvement with the planning of the properties.
Self contained tenancies.

6. Model 2: Core and Cluster (sometimes called Hub and Spoke)
Housing association providing support which is linked to accommodation as well as to other tenancies which are not deemed to be ‘supported’
Core
Supported Housing
Service
Tenancy
This model does not depend on the housing and support provider being the same organisation. Indeed, there are examples where councils have decided to tender support services even where original development entailed the landlord providing the support.

7. Model 2: example
Organisations involved: Barony Housing Association and West Lothian Council and Bangour Village Hospital
Closure of Bangour Village Hospital
Housing developed with care and support for 39 people
Contract awarded via a competitive tendering process in 2000
Property model - 3 core and cluster developments and involved joint input to property design
The 3 core properties providing 24 hour care and support to a total of 17 people; 22 cluster tenancies with visiting housing support
The core properties are shared between 5 and 7 people. The design of these properties is a key to their success and continued popularity. The key design elements are around space and making sure there is sufficient space in communal areas for individuals to feel they can interact with other people when they want to but they can also choose not to. 2 of the core properties have 2 kitchens so that individuals can eat together if they wish to or they can choose to eat on their own. Health had input into the design of the properties. Design issues increased cost of the development.
Cluster properties currently all belong to Barony.

8. ‘I have been a Barony tenant for nearly 10 years
‘I have been a Barony tenant for nearly 10 years. I like living in my own flat in Armadale. I like having the freedom to do what I want. The staff help me with my housework. They sit and chat. They are always pleasant to me. I go to the core house on a Tuesday to play bingo and a Friday for a Chippy “T”. I like to go to Kathy’s kitchen for my lunch every day. I sometimes go to Whitburn to meet my friend.’
Patricia lives in a Barony flat, she gets regular support from Barony staff who visit her from the nearby group living house or “core”. Barony HA Annual Report 2011
Distinction between general needs housing and supported housing is becoming blurred. People are supported to move on from Core or Cluster property and can continue to use Barony support services. There is nothing in the tenancy agreement which links support with the property and a tenant could stop using support and not put their tenancy at risk by doing so. Cluster flats can be absorbed into general needs stock if a person no longer needs support.
Increasingly having to acknowledge the role of the private sector because the social rented sector cannot meet demand – ‘its not possible for us to build ourselves out of the current housing shortage for those with support needs’.
Barony continues to work with statutory partners (the council and health) and has amended services to reflect changing local needs. After Health and the Council identified specific needs for people with Alcohol Related Brain Damage a couple of years ago, Barony designated a property for people with this condition. This assisted the Council as it had few resources available to help people with ARBD. The property was subsequently no longer required for this purpose so went back into the general stock.

9. Model 3: integrated service delivery with health and local council
HA delivering enhanced landlord services to tenants with care/support needs
Health providing services onsite due to nursing care needs of tenants
Local council providing homecare and support services
Increasing tendency for accommodation base to be opened up for activities or services for wider community

10. Model 3: example Elizabeth Maginnes Court
Organisations involved: Dunedin Canmore HA; City of Edinburgh Council and Lothian Health Board
68 flats for older people
50% higher care & 50% lower care needs
Community alarm service
Concierge service
Re-ablement service involving physiotherapy; occupational therapy; homecare
Facilities for day care leased to the council and people in the wider community (as well some tenants) use this
Opened 3 years ago.
41% of higher needs tenants were at risk of moving to a care home and 34% were in hospital unable to return home.
People with complex needs have access to community nursing staff, day support workers and a team of homecare staff.
6 people have learning difficulties ad have access to 24 hour support.
Communication with discharge team at the hospital is key to success.
Reports of improved social contact – reduced feelings of isolation
Tenant participation officer works with residents to apply for grants to help fund activities
High cost of setting up this services - £11.4M – through HAG and private finance. Current HAG levels could not support this anymore.
High cost of partnership working – dedicated development team at the council

11. Context housing associations operate within will impact on supported housing:
Capital finance for new housing - under increasing pressure as housing association grant has reduced
Welfare reform is making it harder to recover rent and service charges through benefits
Charging for care and support services may increase
Personalisation – legislation now in place which aims to open up new possibilities for those who need care/support - HAs have a role to play in delivering this

12. Contact details:
Yvette Burgess, HSEU:
Penumbra:
Barony Housing Association:
Dunedin Canmore Housing Association: