Strategic advice & funding for housing, care & support providers

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Support Solutions UK

27b Harmire Enterprise Park, Barnard Castle, DL12 8BN

Tel: 01325 487080 – Mob: 07968 142394

Contact us now to discuss your requirements

    Support Solutions UK

    27b Harmire Enterprise Park, Barnard Castle, DL12 8BN

    Tel: 01325 487080 – Mob: 07968 142394

    Summary

    This Briefing seeks to provide information about Covid 19 to landlords and providers of social and supported housing.

    It identifies “at risk” groups, explains why people are at risk and sets out (and adds to) the recently published “Social Distancing” guidance.

    You can get the most recent daily updates on Covid 19 within the UK, EU & EEA here.[1]

    It identifies the specific responsibilities that landlords and providers need to be thinking about and the actions you need to be taking.

    It identifies Housing Proactive and Housing Proactive Plus as value generating interventions that are usually provided, installed and maintained, at nil cost (subject to welfare benefits eligibility) and that enable landlords and providers to increase human contact with tenants with additional needs whilst minimising infection risk and optimising staff deployment.

    Introduction

    I’m writing this Briefing whilst in self-isolation as a consequence of Covid 19 infection. Covid 19 impacts different people in different ways. For me my head throbs like a bell tower, my limbs ache, my voice strains through a throat that feels like I’ve swallowed a cheese grater, my chest is tight, and I am tired, really tired. But I’m writing this Briefing so I’m one of the more fortunate Covid 19 victims, and to be honest what bothers me more is the thought that my 96-year-old mother, or my son with learning disabilities might fall victim to it.

    Being involved in supported housing, it is natural that the impact of Covid 19 on people with additional needs occupies my thoughts. People with a variety of additional needs are vulnerable to the physical effects of the virus, and also to the societal effects. Providers are struggling with the sheer enormity of what we are facing.

    Part of the purpose of this Briefing is to suggest a solution that will genuinely help people. I’m a believer in things that generate value. Value Generation has 3 components:

    • Positive outcomes for people (with additional needs)
    • Cost-benefit
    • Wider social/community benefit

    But before we look at a solution, let’s take the measure of the problem.

    Who is Most at Risk?

    Emerging data show clearly that the people at most risk from Covid 19 infection are older people, and people with lung, heart and immunological problems of any age. The UK Government/Public Health England guidance on social distancing (see below) lists a much wider community of “at risk” groups.

    The primary cause of Covid 19 mortality is lung infection, and this isn’t limited to older people although they are more susceptible to such infection and also to general immunological weakness.

    The second most common cause is cytokine storm, which is the technical term for an overreaction of the body to infection and is most common in people over 75. At that age peoples’ immune systems are less effective and can overreact to infection potentially resulting in fever and organ failure.

    Older people generally suffer more than their younger peers from one or more chronic illnesses. Findings from China, Italy and the USA show that it is a combination of age and pre-existing chronic illness that makes people especially vulnerable to the worst consequences of Covid 19 infection.

    Public Health England on behalf of the UK Government has produced a Guidance Document: “Guidance on social distancing for everyone in the UK and protecting older people and vulnerable adults[2] within which the following advice is given:

    We are advising those who are at increased risk of severe illness from coronavirus (COVID-19) to be particularly stringent in following social distancing measures.
    This group includes those who are:

    How do we Respond?

    Social landlords, their agents and provider organisations that operate accommodation-based (and other) services to people with additional needs should be mindful of the social distancing guidance document. Judging by our engagement with them they are very mindful of their obligations to people they house and support, but in common with society in its entirety they’re struggling with the enormity of the situation.

    People are being told to self-isolate. People over 70, and those under 70 with a “chronic condition” (see the social distancing guidance) are being asked to do so for a period of 12 weeks.

    Social isolation is harmful, especially for older people. It can result in high blood pressureheart diseaseobesity, a weakened immune system, anxiety, depressioncognitive declineAlzheimer’s disease……..”.[3] None of these conditions are good at any time, but with Covid 19 risk many of them become cast into sharper, more urgent focus. Social isolation exists, and is dangerous, without Covid 19 so any solution to help with it should be present after the Covid 19 threat has gone.

    According to Age UK “…..more than 2 million people in England over the age of 75 live alone, and more than a million older people say they go for over a month without speaking to a friend, neighbour or family member.”[4] Many of these people will be social housing tenants in general needs and sheltered accommodation, much of the latter is now physically unstaffed.

    It isn’t just supported housing that contains a multiplicity of vulnerabilities to Covid 19 infection. The population of so-called “general needs” social housing exhibits very significant levels of additional need. According to the ONS: “One-quarter (24.7%) of disabled people in 2019 rented social housing, compared with just 8.2% of non-disabled people.”[5]

    We should be mindful of the “at risk” groups identified in the social distancing guidance, for example, age, respiratory disease, heart and kidney disease, “neurological” issues such as Parkinson’s Disease, Motor Neurone Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, learning disability, cerebral palsy, diabetes. Also sickle cell and spleen-related conditions, HIV/AIDS and other immunological deficiencies and obesity.

    In addition, people with mental health needs, substance misuse needs and other conditions where self-care may be compromised may be susceptible to Covid 19. Homeless people, people at risk of domestic violence & abuse, asylum seekers and refugees and other needs groups are also more likely to slip through the medical/social net as well.

    Housing Proactive/Proactive Plus

    Housing Proactive is a telephone/tablet-based system that, at its most basic level requires users to press a button on their ‘phone or device that says, “OK Each Day” (supplied free) by a specified time of day, assuming everything is OK with regard to their property and tenancy in general. If a tenant doesn’t press that button by the agreed time, they get a ‘phone call from a real person asking them if everything’s OK at home. If they don’t pick up the call then a call is immediately made to the landlord, provider, family member or whomsoever has been agreed as the point of contact in such circumstances.

    With Covid 19 the challenge for landlords and providers is to increase two-way social contact without infection risk. Housing Proactive does this by providing a telephone and/or tablet-based communication service that enables social landlords to communicate directly to individuals and groups of tenants verbally or by message. Similarly, tenants can contact you. In addition to letting you know they’re OK by pressing their “OK Each Day” button by an agreed time/times, they can also let you know they’re not OK.

    Housing Proactive Tablet

    Given the many changes in procedures required and challenges with staffing, the need to communicate quickly and effectively with people is critical, especially for higher needs and more at-risk groups.

    Housing Proactive has an add-on capacity (known as Housing Proactive Plus) in the form of what’s called “Envosense”, which is a sensor that detects changes in temperature and humidity and alerts you when either or both are not what they should be.

    Envosense Temperature & Humidity Sensor

    As temperature falls in a home, blood pressure goes up – putting people at greater risk of stroke, heart attack or other cardiovascular problems. Furthermore, as temperature falls susceptibility to influenza, colds and other viral infections such as Covid 19 increases.

    Housing providers may have a duty of care, particular in sheltered and supported housing where it is understood that tenants have higher needs and greater health challenges to ensure temperature ranges are in appropriate ranges.

    Furthermore, excessively high temperatures in a property can be an indicator that someone is unwell (as they have turned their heating up in response), or might be an indicator that the tenant is at higher risk of energy related arrears.

    Public Health England reviewed the literature on the impacts of temperature and humidity on people, older people in particular, and their findings are given sharper focus given the risk factors associated with Covid 19 infection discussed above:

    “The evidence from the small number of epidemiological studies identified suggests an association between raised blood pressure with exposure to indoor temperatures of around 18°C or colder in the general adult population.

    When the effects of cold in older people were compared with those in younger people, the studies showed in general that the changes in outcomes such as blood pressure, clotting factors, cholesterol and in core and skin temperature were more profound, with slower recovery, in older people. Several studies also demonstrated reduced thermoregulatory control and thermal perception/discrimination with ageing.

    There are a number of quite serious health issues related to living to excess moisture. A relative humidity of 60 per cent or above provides optimum conditions for microorganisms and airborne allergens, such as dust mites or mould spores to thrive. Black mould in particular is highly toxic and can cause respiratory infections.

    Our homes also suffer if humidity is too high. Excess moisture will rot wood, corrode electronics and appliances, spoil instruments or books, cause food to go stale, and trigger the proliferation of mould and mildew, which can damage wallpaper and soft furnishings, and even compromise the structural integrity of a building.

    Maintaining a relatively constant humidity level indoors, between 40 per cent and 50 per cent, can bring great benefits.

    Below this, and influenza and other air-borne viruses can thrive – and are more easily transmissible, above this – mould, and other bacteria begin to thrive which can cause significant respiratory and allergic issues, impair the immune system, increase illness and begin to physically damage properties. Wood also rots faster at these higher humidity levels.”[6]

    Landlords will know that the management of temperature and humidity in their properties is one of the obligations of the The Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 and Schedule 1 of the Housing Health and Safety (England) Regulations 2005. Envosense as part of Housing Proactive Plus is an aid to compliance.

    Staff Deployment

    More efficient staff deployment is a necessity at times like this. Social housing and provider organisation staff are stretched at the best of times. Covid 19 adds the additional challenge of a social distancing requirement to reduce infection risk and higher staff demand. Using Housing Proactive enables social landlords and providers to deploy staff in a different way. They can focus on those people who they know are in difficulty for whatever reason because they didn’t press their “OKEachDay” button and they didn’t respond to the call from Housing Proactive’s call centre that would result from a failure to press their button. Similarly, tenants have the ability to call you if all isn’t well with their property or tenancy in general. Being part of an integrated system drastically reduces the necessity for face-to-face contact whilst actually increasing the level of other human contact and the mutual reassurance that goes with it.

    That mutual reassurance is in place 24 hours every day, every week all year round.

    Cost

    The fundamental principle of Housing Proactive and Envosense is to enable the housing provider to manage their properties, tenancies and facilities more effectively and efficiently. As such it is Housing Benefit/Universal Credit/Pension Credit eligible, so people entitled to those benefits don’t pay for it and neither does the landlord/provider. The equipment is free; the installation is free (above a certain number of units) and there are no servicing or other costs. This is a Value Generation proposition that has a great deal of value to offer in a time of significant challenge. In addition to the direct benefits it brings in this time of unprecedented challenge it also provides important byproducts: a reduction in social isolation, more efficient staff deployment and the detection of changing needs. These factors will remain after Covid 19 has gone.

    Please Get in Touch

    Housing Proactive has an established track record and is deployed by 40+ housing providers across the UK for a variety of needs groups. We didn’t anticipate the Covid 19 emergency, but the fact is that Housing Proactive is in the right place at the right time to be part of your integrated approach to managing this unprecedented situation.

    Remember that, subject to welfare benefits, eligibility it’s effectively free of charge. Even where people aren’t eligible for Housing Benefit/Universal Credit/Pension Credit it generates huge value for a minimal weekly cost.

    Please click here to email us an inquiry or call Alertacall on 0808 208 1234 and mention the Support Solutions Briefing.

    Also, read more about the Managing the COVD 19 pandemic for Landlords & Providers of Social & Supported housing from a US perspective here

    Michael Patterson 24th March 2020


    [1] European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control Situation update for the EU/EEA and the UK https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/cases-2019-ncov-eueea

    [2] Public Health England (March 2020):https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-on-social-distancing-and-for-vulnerable-people/guidance-on-social-distancing-for-everyone-in-the-uk-and-protecting-older-people-and-vulnerable-adults

    [3] US National Institute on Ageing, April 2019 https://www.nia.nih.gov/news/social-isolation-loneliness-older-people-pose-health-risks

    [4] Age UK quoted in https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/loneliness-in-older-people/

    [5] Office for National Statistics: “Disability & Housing, UK: 2019” Housing outcomes for disabled adults, with analysis by age, sex, impairment type and country using Annual Population Survey (APS) data. https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/disability/bulletins/disabilityandhousinguk/2019

    [6] Public Health England, 2014: “Minimum home temperature thresholds for health in winter – A systematic literature review” https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/776497/Min_temp_threshold_for_homes_in_winter.pdf

    March 24, 2020 by Michael Patterson Categories: Issue 12

    Latest Briefing

    Customer endorsement

    Social Rent –7% restriction on rent increases for social housing tenancies in 2023

     

    Here at Support Solutions UK, we like to keep our followers and clients up to date with latest industry news.  Our December briefing takes a look at Social Rent and the Regulator's recent decision to apply a 7% restriction on rent increases for social housing tenancies in 2023. Importantly supported housing is exempt from the 7% rent increase and can still apply CPI + 1%, which is 11.1% in total.

     

    What is Social Rent and how does it work?

    Around four million families live in the social rented sector. This is almost one-fifth of households in England. Social housing is provided by either housing associations (not-for-profit organisations that own, let, and manage rented housing) or the local council.

    As a social tenant, you rent your home from the housing association or council, who act as the landlord. Social housing aims to be more affordable than private renting and provide a more secure, long-term tenancy.

    Social homes are the only type of housing where rents are linked to local incomes, making these the most affordable homes in most areas across the country.

    Rents for social homes are significantly lower than private rents. Rent increases are also limited by the government, which means homes should stay affordable long-term so people aren’t priced out of their communities by rising rents.

    Social housing should be there for anyone who needs it. At present, the law states who is entitled to social housing and should get preference on the waiting list. But councils have lots of flexibility on who qualifies locally and social landlords can refuse to let to people if they so choose.

    People in social housing usually have secure tenancies, giving them greater protection from eviction and enhanced rights compared to those renting privately. They provide the foundation people need to get on in life, meaning families can put down roots, plan for the future and make their house a home.

     

    How is Social Rent set? 

    In 2019, the government set a rent policy for social housing that would permit rents to increase by up to CPI plus 1 percentage point (‘CPI+1%’) per annum, and made clear its intention to leave this policy in place until 2025. We are however living through exceptional times and when the current rent policy was set in 2019, inflation was forecast to be around 2% in 2022 and 2023.

    In July 2022, CPI was 10.1%. If CPI remained at or above this level in September, this would permit social housing rent increases from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024 of 11.1% or more. This is much higher than expected rate of inflation and is already placing considerable pressure on many households, including those living in social housing.

    Registered Providers of social housing (‘Registered Providers’) were obviously concerned about these pressures on their residents and came together on how the sector should respond.

    In the face of these exceptional challenges, the government thought that there was a strong case for making a temporary amendment to the CPI+1% policy for 2023/24 in order to provide a backstop of protection for social housing tenants from significant nominal-terms rent increases.

    The government decided to consult on a new Direction from the Secretary of State to the Regulator of Social Housing (‘the Regulator’) on social housing rents. This Direction would operate alongside the Direction on the Rent Standard 2019 issued on 26 February 2019 (‘the 2019 Direction’).

    The intention of this new Direction would require the Regulator to amend its Rent Standard so that the current CPI+1% limit on annual rent increases would be subject to a ceiling from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024. Registered Provider is allowed to implement. Registered Providers would be permitted to increase rents by 5% or CPI+1%, whichever is the lower. However, within this consultation, we are seeking views on 3%, 5% and 7% as ceiling options, and we are also

    7% Social Rent Cap 2023/24

    The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) had floated that social rent increases could be capped as low as 3%, however, setting the rent cap at 7% will come as a huge relief to registered providers and prevents a potentially apocalyptic scenario for some.

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