Rural Housing for an Ageing Population Write-up

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The Northern Housing Consortium (NHC) was delighted to join Lord Best and a variety of stakeholders in delivering the recent Rural Housing for an Ageing Population Conference.  Alongside ADASS, Housing LIN, and the LGA, the NHC welcomed over one hundred delegates to the Harrogate Convention Centre to explore the opportunities and challenges of providing fit-for-purpose housing and care to older people in rural settings.

Lord Best began proceedings with the important reminder that housing, health, and social care are three legs of the same stool; “miss out one, and the stool falls over”.  The purpose of the conference was to advance discussions on the points made in the recent report published by Housing LIN and the All Party Parliamentary Group Housing and Care for Older People – “Rural Housing for an Ageing Population: Preserving Independence”.  The report’s main concern lay in the suggestion that a growing proportion of older people in rural communities were finding their homes were no longer suitable for their needs, the repercussions of which were diminished independence and increased care costs, both to the individual and the public purse.

In their opening remarks Lord Best and Conference Chair Neil Revely, Chair of the ADASS Housing Policy Network, highlighted three facilitators of suitable rural housing for older people: a long-term strategic view with a focus on integration and collaboration; and more specifically, the presence of Rural Housing Enablers, and the work of Homes Improvement Agencies.  All three were addressed as part of the conference with a summary provided below:

Strategy, Integration, and Collaboration

Commended by Neil Revely for their integrated approach to housing and care, Richard Webb from North Yorkshire County Council closed the day with a presentation on the council’s journey to date.  Influenced by work stretching back to 1999, North Yorkshire established their long-term strategy for housing and care with the publication of ‘Our Future Lives’ in 2006.  Expanded on in 2015 with the ‘Care and Support Where I Live Strategy’ the Council continues to be successful whilst operating within a complex system that spans England’s largest county.

The council’s Extra Care Scheme now consists of 22 operational sites and 1,111 units.  This has been made possible by a strong partnership between the County Council, Borough and District Councils, housing providers, developers, and the communities themselves.  There is strong political and corporate support for the belief that Extra Care is one aspect of the wider regeneration of communities.  Schemes are mixed tenure and include facilities central to peoples lives; shops, libraries, and health services.

The care itself centres around flexible packages that can be adapted depending on need.  Eligibility and financial assessments are made to ensure this flexible approach is sustainable. In some cases schemes are delivering NHS Step Up / Step Down and end of life services and all properties receive 24/7 background support.

Rural Housing Enablers

Representing the York, North Yorkshire & East Riding Partnerships, Sarah Hall discussed with delegates how Rural Housing Enablers (RHEs) ensure that communities have the resource and expertise needed to provide suitable homes.  Their network; comprising of Local Authorities, Registered Providers, National Parks, and the Country Land and Business Association (CLA); is used as a forum to identify and debate best practice, plan events to promote their work, and overall raise the profile of RHEs.

At an organisational level, RHEs act as a resource to identify opportunities whether it be recognising housing need, finding ways of meeting that need, or bringing together interested parties to push projects forward.  This involves close working with Registered Providers, land owners, Councillors, and developers. Engagement is also central to this process and RHEs involve communities through ‘Town Hall’ meetings, Open Days, and Walkabouts.

The role of RHEs in identifying and addressing the housing need of older people has become increasingly important over time and work in this area has been identified as a priority moving forward. Recently RHEs have been involved in developing Extra Care Schemes in two former Almhouses.

Homes Improvement Agencies

Described as the ‘Swiss Army Knife of Housing Services’, Home Improvement Agencies (HIAs) provide a range of services to help individuals retain independence in their homes. These services are of particular importance to older people in rural settings where homes are characterised by steep stairs, narrow corridors, and stepped access.  Represented at the conference by Sheila Mackintosh from the University of Bristol, Foundations manage the network of HIAs across England on behalf of the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government.

HIAs are unique in providing their support irrespective of tenure.  They are invariably the only housing support service available to owner occupiers and private renters.  As mentioned, their work covers all aspects of ensuring residents are safe, secure, and warm.  This includes dealing with trip hazards, repairs / improvements, and adaptions. Their interactions with residents can range from offering information and advice to assisting in moving someone into more suitable accommodation.

In rural areas, it is unsurprising that HIAs encounter challenges. Providing support across such large, sparsely populated areas can be a barrier to integration.  Similarly, leadership and focus is vital to ensure the service is proactive and doesn’t decline into crisis management. Having said that, there is a good amount of best practice from across the country.  This includes Preston Care and Repair, an independent HIA who have built a positive reputation amongst the elderly community – in one survey 77% of respondents said they would have chosen not to go ahead with repair work had it not been for the HIA service due to worry around finding a trustworthy builder.

Social Housing Green Paper’s proposals on neighbourhood management and anti-social behaviour.

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One area of interest contained in the recently published Social Housing Green Paper was the renewed focus on neighbourhood management and addressing anti-social behaviour as a core component of the ‘new deal’ between tenants and landlords.  This work has always been vital and respected as such by social housing providers, yet it was notable to see that alongside ensuring properties were in good repair and buildings were structurally safe was the announcement that the Government were considering introducing a key performance indicator (KPI) covering neighbourhood management “responsibilities” as well as a KPI that will “help tackle anti-social behaviour” (ASB).

The Social Housing Green Paper proposes separate KPI’s for ASB and neighbourhood management, both underpinned by obligations set out in the Neighbourhood and Community Standard.  Excluding ASB, the Standard requires registered providers to not just maintain but improve the neighbourhoods where their homes stand.   In keeping areas ‘clean and safe’, landlords should consult with tenants and work with partners in ‘promoting social, economic, and environmental wellbeing’. Landlords should work to appreciate their role in communities and outline the positive impact they can and will make.

A central tenet of the Neighbourhood and Community Standard is the landlord’s duty to prevent and tackle ASB.   There is again a strong emphasis on “local area cooperation” and working in partnership with various agencies.  Between stakeholders there is a clear need for a joint understanding on each other’s roles and responsibilities.  Within this eco-system though, it is the landlord that must demonstrate “strong leadership, commitment and accountability” in addressing ASB “promptly, appropriately, and decisively”.

It is in dealing with complaints where the Green Paper shows concern. “Some residents were concerned that their landlords were not taking appropriate action to tackle anti-social behaviour. Residents told us that they felt their concerns were not taken seriously or were resolved too slowly.”  Additionally, In the much-vaunted section addressing the stigma felt by social housing tenants, a good proportion of the Green Paper is dedicated to the stigma borne out of interactions with landlords themselves. “Too many residents felt they were treated with contempt by their landlord – that they were spoken down to, or treated as a nuisance.”

In thinking about how these KPI’s could be gathered and presented, the Green Paper puts forward the NHS ‘Friends and Family Test’ as a blueprint.  Operational since 2012, the test is based on the premise that patients (or tenants in this instance) have the right to participate in giving feedback as a standard part of their interaction with a service.  This feedback is gathered in as close to real time as possible and is a staple of every interaction; not a one-off survey or annual comms project.  Results are gathered by and published locally by NHS England for users to “inform their decision making” and for organisations to “highlight practices that lead to good experiences and where improvements could be made”.

In our ‘On the Day Briefing’ covering the Green Paper the Northern Housing Consortium queried whether KPI’s  and league tables could prove to be a too simplistic way of ranking services: “It is important that any measure doesn’t provide an incentive to make it difficult for tenants to register complaints if it means that those encouraging honest feedback find themselves languishing at the bottom of a league table.”  Indeed, and especially in relation to tackling ASB, landlords will be all too aware of the balance between resolving complaints swiftly, but also correctly and to the long-term benefit of their tenants and neighbourhoods.  The Government however does appear to appreciate these concerns, and as part of the consultative Green Paper outline they will need to “consider how [the KPI’s] could impact on areas, and whether it could lead to some people feeling more stigmatised.”

The NHC have invited members to a series of roundtables to help formulate a collective response to the Social Housing Green Paper, these meetings can be viewed and booked onto here.  The Neighbourhood Management and ASB specific questions, listed below, will be considered by the next meeting of the Safety in Neighbourhoods Network which will also be focussing on partnership working between housing associations, local authorities, and the emergency services.

  • What key performance indicator should be used to measure whether landlords are providing good neighbourhood management?
  • How are landlords working with local partners to tackle anti-social behaviour?
  • What key performance indicator could be used to measure this work?

The next Safety in Neighbourhoods Network will meet Monday 1st October 2018, 13.00 to 15.30, at Yorkshire Housing, Leeds.  The network is free to attend for NHC members,  follow this link to register your place.

Social Housing Green Paper – A New Deal for Social Housing

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The long awaited, much trailed Social Housing Green Paper announced by the former Secretary of State for Housing as a “wide-ranging, top-to-bottom review of the issues facing the sector” and by the current Secretary of State as “a landmark opportunity for major reform” was finally published on 14 August.

It was published alongside:

Read our ‘On the day Briefing’ with initial reaction to the Green Paper.

The Green Paper opens the door for considerable debate within the sector on:

  • Tackling stigma and celebrating thriving communities
  • Expanding supply and supporting home ownership
  • Effective resolution of complaints
  • Empowering residents and strengthening the regulator
  • Ensuring homes are safe and decent

We must grasp the opportunity for debate. There are many challenges for the sector in being part of the solution to the housing crisis – this is just the start.

Please join in the debate on the Green Paper

The NHC will be holding Roundtable events on the following dates:

If you are unable to attend the Roundtable events and would like to submit your views and comments, please get in touch with Karen Brown, Senior Policy Advisor –  Karen.brown@northern-consortium.org.uk

Another Successful Resident Involvement Conference

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Over the past year Government policy has understandably turned to focus on the social housing sector and particularly the needs of residents. Against this backdrop, a strong attendance of over 100 tenants and housing staff attended the National Resident Involvement Conference in York to make sense of the recent changes in housing policy as well as casting an eye to the future in anticipating what changes are expected.

Joint-Chair Eamon McGoldrick, Managing Director at the National Federation of Arms-Length Management Organisations, began proceedings by looking at the positive responses landlords have made in refocussing on tenant engagement, co-regulation, and health and safety. Eamon’s presentation outlined that these welcome changes were in many ways preparation for a ‘new order’ where landlords would be required to be more transparent, would be more regulated, and would have to take ‘complete ownership’ of new build and refurbishment schemes.

Building on the theme of transparency, Jacqui McKinlay, Chief Executive, Centre for Public Scrutiny (CfPS) was invited discuss her organisations role in promoting accountability and involvement in governance and scrutiny. Central to this to championing these improvements was appreciating that transparency is a long-term commitment and not just about processes. Also important was getting the balance right between national and local leadership, but with a consensus on what transparency meant and how it can improve resident experience. Finally, Jacqui put forward a template for making change happen; talking the audience through setting standards, raising performance within those standards, and finally using effective oversight to ensure that standards are met.

Delegates took centre stage in the morning’s closing session where Yvonne Davies, Managing Director at Scrutiny and Empowerment Partners Ltd and event organiser led the hall through an interactive session. A series of questions were posed to the group covering a range of issues. Firstly, what must a ‘Transparency Charter’ include if it was to improve the tenant customer experience? Secondly, how can tenants keep up to date with the breadth of information available; whether from think tanks, policy makers, or regulators? And finally, with resident involvement as important as ever, what were the barriers people felt were inhibiting them from playing a role in the decision making of their Housing Association. In the group responses to each question, it was clear that ‘access’ was an integral factor. Easy access to information to improve transparency and knowledge, and access to the decision-making process through improved resources.

Throughout the day a series of workshops had been arranged to enable delegates to learn best practice from across the region. In the morning, the conference heard from organisations who had received recognition for their governance models, youth participation schemes, and widely praised estate-based engagement activities. Following lunch, attendees gained insight and advice from colleagues who were currently reviewing their involvement strategies, whilst also hearing from the frontline on how data innovations and national issues such as the rollout of Universal Credit was impacting on communicating with residents.

The conference closed with a Key Note session provided by Shelter as part of their ‘Big Conversation on the Future of Social Housing’. Rachel Casey, Policy Engagement Manager, and Deborah Gabie, Policy Manager, began by introducing the Big Conversation to delegates as an independent commission setting out what’s wrong with social housing, what’s good with it, and what is needed for the future. The audience heard how a combination of poor housing conditions, stigma, and a lack of tenant influence had compelled Shelter to launch this piece of work which would report back in November 2018. Ultimately, the Commission wished to see a bigger and better social housing sector that amplifies the voices of tenants as well as the broader community, something which all present could agree on.

APPG Housing in the North discusses housing for older people

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Chief Executives from the NHC membership were present at the last meeting of the All Party Parliamentary Group Housing in North (APPG HiN) to hear how innovative approaches were being used to support older people to live independent lives.   APPG HiN Chair Ian Mearns MP also welcomed Lord Best, who updated attendees on the APPG Housing and Care for Older People and their work making the case for better housing provision for ageing communities in rural settings.

Tricia Grierson, the Head of Independent Living at Johnnie Johnson Housing Trust (JJHT), presented first on the various ways in which JJHT was helping their residents fulfil her organisation’s ‘living longer, living better’ ethos.  Tricia highlighted the Astraline service as an example of innovation driving improved support.  Originally intended to be a telecare monitoring service when it was first launched, Astraline today covers alarm and sensor monitoring, welfare calls, personal alarms to support independence, and support for people living with long term conditions.

Additionally, JJHT had also recently launched their Neighbourhoods Apartment scheme which aims  to save the NHS £1million by 2021 by offering a supported transition for patients from the hospital back home.  Here, tenants would be provided with suitable accommodation as well as access to wider support from JJHT’s Independent Living Coordinators.  Tricia emphasised that the combination of care but also support, for example financial advice or taking safeguarding concerns into account, was seeing a positive impact on tenant/patient wellbeing.

Attendees moved on to discuss challenges seen in the care and support system.  Central to this discussion was the recently published ADASS report ‘A Better Offer for Older People – Making extra care housing work for your community’ which suggests that not enough older people in the UK have the option of Extra Care when needed.  In exploring why this might be, the sustainability of over-relying on the largest supplier companies was questioned. An additional challenge was the care system’s ageing workforce.  A large percentage of care workers were reaching retirement age and there have been difficulties in attracting and retaining a younger workforce.

Lord Best was then introduced to update guests on the recommendations of the APPG Housing and Care for Older People’s inquiry into ‘Rural Housing for an Ageing Population’.  Findings and recommendations were published as the report ‘HAPPI 4: the Rural HAPPI Inquiry (Rural Housing for an Ageing Population: Preserving Independence)’.

Lord Best was enthusiastic in his support for smaller village developments for individuals who wished to move into a more suitable property but not move into large retirement schemes in nearby towns and cities.  Here, new build bungalows situated in or around the village would provide the suitable homes for older residents without requiring them to leave their community where they have a generational connection and social relationships.

Other recommendations from the HAPPI 4 report for local and national government were the specific allocation of housing for older people as part of Local Plans, as well as Homes England explicitly targeting a portion of their funding to providing for an ageing population.  Lord Best recalled previous successes where Local Authorities used social housing grants for specific types of homes, as opposed to ‘generic’ family homes.

The group discussed at length whether Stamp Duty relief should be aimed at those of pension age.  Lord Best felt that most subsidies for home ownership are aimed at young people.  At the same time, a sizeable proportion of older owner occupiers would benefit from downsizing but their demand was not being identified.

Building on Lord Best’s presentation, Neil Revely (NR), Housing Co-Lead, ADASS, informed the APPG of the upcoming Rural Housing for an Ageing Population Conference taking place in Harrogate 27 July 2018.  The event would explore the findings and recommendations from the HAPPI 4 report as mentioned by Lord Best whilst also looking at the policy context, challenges in delivery, and wider issues such as loneliness and isolation.   Neil was happy to say that the issues raised in the report had gained traction with various agencies and the event would have representation from the Local Government Association, ADASS, HousingLin, and the Northern Housing Consortium whose website was hosting further information on the conference and how to book (link above).

Ian Mearns MP closed the meeting by thanking everyone for their contributions. It was important that the APPH HiN considers a diverse range of issues and this discussion on housing for older people had certainly given everyone food for thought.

Full non-verbatim minutes of the APPG Housing in North 15 May 2018 will be available soon and can be accessed here.

Guest Blog: Homes England thank Registered Providers

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The Homes England NEYTH team would like to say a huge thank you for all your hard work to achieve such a fantastic result for 17/18. From a position of being significantly under programmed in September 17, working closely with our RP partners, we ended up in a position where we could have exceeded our investment target. This was the result of our teams working closely together to shape investment proposals and using flexibilities to unlock stalled opportunities. In the NEYTH we exceeded both our starts and completions targets. This is a great result and sets us up for an even greater delivery challenge this year. Now that we have proven and demonstrated that the North can deliver, we need to continue to build on this momentum and success.

The Shared Ownership and Affordable Homes Programme is still open for new bids through continuous market engagement – funding is available for a range of tenures until 2021. We have continued with our flexible approach for 18/19 and beyond – using our land, collaboration, working with our partners to deliver more and encouraging new entrants into the programme. We also now have the ability to make acquisition tranche payments, for which we are currently seeking a future pipeline of sites for 18/19.  The NEYTH team continue to use local delegations which means that we can speed up decision making, we ask in return that you speak to your contract managers and Homes England contacts at the earliest possible opportunity to discuss and help shape your programme needs, ambitions and new schemes.

The sector now has certainty over rental income, increased funding to £9bn and reclassification – now we must continue to perform and to increase our own ambition for the North. The challenge is massive but working together we can grasp this opportunity.

For further information, please contact Victoria Keen, Strategy and Information Manager, North East, Yorkshire and The Humber. Tel: 0191 497 7619 | Ext: 7619.

Safety in Neighbourhoods Network

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For over 18 years the Northern Housing Consortium’s Anti-Social Behaviour Study Group has provided an invaluable forum for stakeholders to meet, discuss, and develop the services they provide.

Group members, taken from the NHC membership and beyond, have heard from expert speakers outlining the changes and challenges brought about by government policies.  These have included the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act, as well as specific issues facing colleagues such as domestic abuse and illegal tobacco sales.

However, budget cuts and restructures have changed the way anti-social behaviour is tackled.  It is clear now that ASB is one part of a wider neighbourhood management system protecting residents.

At the same time, multi-agency working has become an integral part of the community safety agenda. Today colleagues from Registered Providers collaborate with partners from local authorities and the emergency services in a number of ways.

With this in the mind, the NHC feels it appropriate to re-launch the ASB Study Group with a wider focus on all the work being completed to ensure safety in neighbourhoods.

The Safety in Neighbourhoods network will be free to attend for NHC members and will cover a wide variety of topics ranging from hoarding and neighbour nuisance to organised crime and the underlying role mental health issues can have in driving Anti-Social Behaviour. Most importantly, the topics covered by a mixture of guest speakers and colleagues from across the North will be determined by those who attend. The new group will also remain a forum to share ideas and learn best practice from a range of practitioners from other public and private agencies.

The first of these meetings will be confirmed soon and will include a session from Ward Hadaway looking at how ASB teams have been specifically impacted by the new GDPR regulations. Whilst there has been plenty of general information on GDPR, Ward Hadaway will guide attendees through how the new rules will affect, for example, ASB investigations, archiving, and sharing protocols with external organisations.

If you have any queries regarding the Safety in Neighbourhoods network, or you would like to input into topics covered in future meetings, please email Liam Gregson at liam.gregson@northern-consortium.org.uk.

The North West Housing Forum – Event Write-Up

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Despite the terrible weather conditions that blighted the final week of February, a strong group of intrepid adventurers braved the elements on the 27th to attend the North West Housing Forum’s Debate on Regeneration.

The Forum, which is supported by the NHC, brings together the housing officers, Board Members, and Elected Members of the North West to debate and progress the most pertinent issues in housing affecting the region.

The key note speech was delivered by Professor Ed Ferrari who set the scene for the debate which followed. Ed underlined the importance of housing to society; whether through underpinning the communities in which we live, its role in supporting health and wellbeing, as well as the role housing can play in reducing the costs of the welfare state.

The Forum noted that regeneration now meant something different to different regions. In the south, and particularly in London, the policies enacted in the name of regeneration had cast a shadow over work done in other areas. However, as Professor Ferrari noted, regeneration when done well brought many benefits; from maximising the value of infrastructure, to supporting the sustainability of local services, through to spreading risk by strengthening a communities tenure and social mix.

With Professor Ferrari haven given everyone food for thought, a series of presentations by Forum members and partners showed how organisations were reinvigorating communities in diverse ways.

Phillip Whitehead, Regional Regeneration Director at Countryside, discussed seven ways in which private sector developers could help social housing providers. Throughout Phillip’s presentation there was a strong emphasis on partnership and using each other’s relevant skills to create integrated communities. Countryside understands that developments need to allow space for local shops and community facilities, hubs which neighbours can engage around. It was also important for partners to commit to areas, and to each other, long term; investment in employment and training, as well utilising local suppliers in the supply chain both bring lasting benefits.

Clare Tostevin, Director of Communities at RBH, built on some of the themes discussed by Phillip with a presentation highlighting how her organisation was building inclusive growth into Rochdale town centre. Central to RBH’s vision of regeneration was to ensure a connection between homes, people, and jobs. If Rochdale was to retain existing residents and attract new people to the area then a housing offer needed to match the aspirations people had for their working lives. With investment in quality homes, community hubs, and employment training, a vibrant town centre could flourish.

The Forum then heard about Bolton at Home’s UCAN service, another way in which organisations were supporting the ambitions of residents. ‘Urban Care and Neighbourhood Services’ are central to neighbourhoods and focus on local needs. The idea is to listen first and tailor a support package accordingly. Residents can access the internet and a telephone free of charge; receive advice on constructing a CV and searching for jobs, or just drop by for a friendly chat.

Finally, Tony Mousdale at Liverpool City Council informed attendees how the council was using Selective Licensing to drive up standards in the Private Rented Sector. Liverpool has seen a growth in the number of private rented homes, with the sector doubling in size between 2001 and 2011. An important facet of the Council’s scheme is a range of commitments known as the Ten Point Pledge. The Pledge will see the creation of a Landlords Forum and Advisory Panel to strengthen engagement in the sector and will also provide a robust stance against landlords who allow housing standards to fall below a satisfactory level.

The event finished with Forum members agreeing that more could now be done to convince key decision makers that investment should be directed to areas such as the North West. A further paper building on the discussions held as part of the debate was announced in the hope of supporting this work.