Supporting People - frequently asked questions

Top

Index of Content

What is the Supporting People Programme?

The Supporting People Programme provides low level, appropriate housing related support to vulnerable people. Housing related support services improve people’s lives by enabling them to live more independently and preventing problems that can often lead to hospitalisation, institutional care and homelessness. Housing related support services can also help a smooth transition to independent living for people leaving institutional environments such as hospital, residential care or prison.

Wiltshire Supporting People Mission Statement

“The Supporting People Partnership in Wiltshire will work together with others to provide flexible support services to people in our county who need them. These services will support people to live independently in a home they have chosen and will aim to prevent housing crisis or homelessness.“

We will use the following principles to ensure that services funded by Supporting People grant achieve our mission statement

  • Services are delivered according to need - i.e there is a support plan for each service user and access to the service is based on a needs assessment
  • Services work to deliver the principles of supported living – i.e service user choice and independence  - and uphold tenancy rights and responsibilities
  • Services provide support related to accessing or maintaining independent housing.  Where services are jointly commissioned, the amount of SP funding will reflect the amount of housing related support being provided.
  • Services deliver outcomes as set out in the Supporting People contract framework
  • Services are cost effective and service costs and support hours delivered are within a reasonable range as defined by the Supporting People Partnership Board
  • Services meet performance targets as set out in the Supporting People contract specification for each service
  • Services support people to access appropriate advice about their housing options

Wiltshire Supporting People Objectives

The Supporting People programme provides support to over 1.2 million people nationally. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) directs the programme. The overall aim of the programme is to provide services that:

  • Promote independence and improve quality of life
  • Are high quality, strategically planned, cost effective and complement existing specialist services
  • Are planned according to needs
  • Are delivered through a partnership of local government, probation, health, voluntary sector organisations, housing associations, support agencies and service users

Wiltshire Supporting People Strategic Priorities

The Wiltshire Supporting People Partnership has identified five strategic principles and priorities for how services should be delivered in Wiltshire over the next 5 years. These priorities focus on outcomes and models of service delivery rather than client groups.

Enabling people to live independently and in their chosen home setting for as long as possible, including access to treatment

Particular gaps identified

  • Extra care housing and other alternatives to residential care including people who are frail or have dementia or other mental illness or a learning disability
  • Accommodation for people with mental health problems
  • Move on accommodation for all client groups

Using floating support as well as accommodation-based services to challenge the automatic link between a tenancy and support and provide as much flexibility and choice as possible

Particular gaps identified:

  • Homeless families with support needs
  • Older people with support needs
  • People with alcohol problems
  • Low level support for people with mental health problems to prevent housing crisis
  • Equity across the county for all client groups
  • Floating/community support for people with a learning disability

Linking with our partners and other agencies including voluntary agencies to provide housing related support packages as part of integrated services

Particular gaps identified:

  • Extra care housing
  • Linking with specialist services for people with learning disabilities
  • Links with domiciliary care and intermediate care as well as the use of assistive technologies

To provide preventative housing related support services to minimise crises such as hospitalisation, institutional care, homelessness, social exclusion and re-offending

Particular gaps identified:

  • Young people at risk – particularly those leaving care
  • Accommodation-based services for people with complex needs
  • Direct access accommodation
  • Offenders and people at risk of offending
  • To work with housing authorities, housing providers and voluntary agencies to ensure vulnerable people are supported to access housing advice and suitable, accessible housing of their choice
  • Wiltshire Supporting People Annual Action Plan

Action Target
   
Agree eligibility for future SP funding for all services/client groups – based on outcomes Framework agreed and available for consultation by April 2005
   
Agree reasonable cost/hours benchmarks for SP funding Framework agreed and available for consultation by April 2005
   
Agree regional VFM framework and benchmark cost indicators VFM approach across South West by June 2005
   
Agree steady state contract and specifications Steady State Contracts signed commencing June 2005
   
Strategic review of floating support services New contracts commence April 2006
   
Strategic review of services for single homeless people (including vulnerable young people, drug & alcohol, offenders, complex needs) New contracts commence April 2006
   
Jointly commission Wiltshire HIA services New contracts commence January 2006
   
Review individual LD packages against benchmark figures and negotiate revised SP funding where appropriate All services reviewed by July 2005.  Negotiations with other budgets completed by December 2005
   
Increase number of low level LD packages – Develop 2 jointly commissioned keyring Schemes in Wiltshire from savings identified 2 x keyring schemes established in Wiltshire by April 2006
   
Remodel support services to homeless families Services available in all types of temporary accommodation by October 2005
   
Remodel high-risk offender provision Resettlement included in current contract and capacity of accommodation-based service expanded by October 2005
   
Submit 2 x bids for capital funding to DOH Extra Care Fund 2x bids for new/remodelled extra care schemes submitted by October 2005
   
Agree use of assistive technology fund for Wiltshire and role of community alarms in future plans Proposals agreed by SP Partnership Board and ICES Board by November 2005
   
Diversity Strategy for Supporting People services Diversity Strategy agreed by October 2005-
   
  Research completed into appropriate models of support/accessibility by December 2005
   
Financial Management Supporting People Grant expenditure is within budget by 31 March 2006
   

Financial Management

Nationally, the Wiltshire Supporting People budget will reduce from £1.8bn in 2004/05 to £1.7bn by 2007/08.

Local funding allocations will be made using a distribution formula, currently being developed by ODPM. The exact details of the formula are not yet finalised, however early indications are that Wiltshire could lose up to 21% of its Supporting People funding. The formula is subject to consultation and it is important that we respond effectively to this. We are linking to other shire counties with similar issues to Wiltshire and to the South West region to ensure an appropriate response.

In 2005/06, the Supporting People funding received from ODPM will be £419,409 (4.8%) less than in 2004/05. It is likely that funding will continue to reduce by at least 5% year on year over the period covered by this strategy.

It is clear that there will not be new funding for service development within the funding allocated by ODPM and any proposals set out in this document will need to be seen in the context of using our existing funding more effectively. We will need to implement proposals to save money before we can make changes which require additional funding. For this reason, many of our proposals centre on remodeling existing services without the need for new funding and on making better use of our scarce resources.

Useful Websites

Publications

Information for providers

Contact Details

By Post

Supporting People Team
Wiltshire County Council
County Hall
Bythesea Road
Trowbridge
Wiltshire
BA14 8JN

By Email

supportingpeople@wiltshire.gov.uk

By Telephone

01225 713733

By Fax

01225 713983

Opening Hours

Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm

  Back to top

Primary Navigation

Top


Customer Contact Centre
Email: Customer Care

Telephone : 01225 713000
Textphone : 01225 712500
View Out of hours numbers

Opening Hours:
Mon to Thurs - 8.30am - 5.20pm
Fri - 8.30am - 5.00pm

Website enquiries
Email: Customer Care

Wiltshire County Council
Bythesea Road
Trowbridge
Wiltshire
BA14 8JN