If someone told you they could increase your supported housing revenue on a "no increase, no fee" basis would you believe them? We believe that there is a significant relationship between the physical quality of the accommodation in which service users live and the support outcomes that are achieved. One of the primary concerns of many providers is their inability to properly fund the management, maintenance, fixtures and fittings of their supported housing stock because levels of rental income are insufficient. This may especially be the case where RSL stock, and therefore Rent Restructuring, is involved.

There is a situation of retrenchment and instability within Supporting People such that revenue is reducing. It is important that we consider both the immediate and future prospects of Supporting People revenue when we put together a revenue budget which needs to underpin a service in which proper levels of resource matter. This is especially significant where reductions in Supporting People Grant have occurred because some activity has been redefined as "housing" rather than "support".

Support Solutions is now the leading consultancy in optimising and increasing supported housing revenue entitlements. Our expertise and our success is based on:

• A thorough knowledge of the relevant funding streams, regulations, precedents, case law, regulatory frameworks and grant conditions
• Unparalleled expertise in supported housing revenue budgets and cost allocation based on years of hands on operational management and consultancy work
• Political and "big picture" awareness in effecting changes as a consequence of revenue increases

Evidence-based rent and charge reviews

Support Solutions is now the leading UK consultancy in advising supported housing providers, collating and analysing evidence and, leading core rent and service charge and other revenue negotiations with local authorities, charities, RSL's and the voluntary sector. Our evidence-based rent and charge reviews optimise property rent and the service charge and support elements of the weekly charge that you can levy in order to properly invest in the maintenance, management of your property and the services you provide to it.

Our Revenue Optimisation package will provide your organisation with three core elements:

• Identify and accurately allocate the true costs of your organisation's supported housing projects. Our Housing Benefit and other revenue calculations are based on true costs, the calculation methodologies are supported by current government legislation and the core rent and housing services charges they generate are consistent with various precedents set by case law.

• Work with you to identify the ideal housing and support staffing levels required to support your tenants' needs and to build a proper allocation of these costs into your charges in addition to your non-staff costs.

• Provide the means and evidence to sustain the entitlements you are claiming.  We will ensure that the figures are fully auditable and that you have all of the necessary evidence when your rents and charges are audited by Supporting People or Housing Benefits staff.  We will advise on the structuring required to be able to provide the audit trails to ensure that you can demonstrate the proper use of Housing Benefit and Supporting People income.

Remember that, at any time, Housing Benefit and Supporting People Teams can knock on your door to review and audit your housing and support income!

Fees

Our charging structure is flexible in order to accommodate the differing needs of our clients. Where we need to develop or revise budget models or do other preparatory work before directly negotiating and acquiring revenue entitlement increases we will charge a daily rate. Generally speaking such charges are not great. Once we have established with a client what our target increase is we will only charge a percentage of the increase we achieve. IN OTHER WORDS: "NO INCREASE, NO FEE".

Please contact kris@supportsolutions.co.uk..