What does the Supporting People programme do?
The Hampshire Supporting People Programme funds and commissions housing related support services that assist over 18,000 people across the county, including over 1100 people in the Gosport area. Support is provided through a range of different services that enable vulnerable people who are homeless, or otherwise at risk of losing their accommodation, to continue to live as independently as possible, be that local authority rented, private sector rented, sheltered housing, owner occupier, or temporary and "move-on" accommodation. Gosport Borough Council’s Homelessness Supporting People Scheme and the council’s sheltered housing services are just some of the services operating in Gosport that are funded by the programme.
What Are Housing Related Support Services?
The kinds of housing related support that services within the Supporting People Programme provide enable people to:
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Understand and manage the rights and responsibilities of their tenancy
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Budget – e.g. to pay the rent
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Sort out utility services (water, gas and electricity supplies etc.)
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Ensure their home is safe and secure
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Develop life skills associated with maintaining a home or tenancy
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Access relevant benefits associated with living in their own home.
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Live independently in sheltered housing.
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Arrange adaptations and minor repairs to the home
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Have access to advice, advocacy and liaison support
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Gain access to local community organisations and services
NB: Services funded through the Supporting People programme do not include personal care or social care services.
Who can the Supporting People Programme help?
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Older people
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People with learning disabilities, mental health problems or physical disabilities
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Women escaping domestic violence
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People at risk of offending
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Young vulnerable people & teenage parents
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Homeless people & people with substance misuse problems
Then a series of links like already exist, in the following order:
How Is The Supporting People Programme Administered in Hampshire?
The Supporting People Programme in Hampshire is administered by Hampshire County Council’s Supporting People Team, based in Winchester.
The programme operates as a multi-agency working partnership involving partners from the Health, Housing, Social Care, and Probation sectors, and includes representation from Gosport Borough Council. In providing housing related support to a wide range of vulnerable people the Supporting People programme contributes to the delivery of Gosport Borough Council’s Housing, Homelessness and Community Safety strategic agendas.
What types of Supporting People Funded Services are provided locally?
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Gosport’s domestic violence refuge and outreach support services.
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Gosport Borough Council’s Supporting People Service for homeless people
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Warden / scheme manager support provided to sheltered housing tenants.
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Gosport’s Home Improvement Agency
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Local floating support services supporting people in their own homes
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Other accommodation based services, where support is linked to accommodation (e.g. for young people, homeless people, people with mental health problems and those with learning disabilities).
The Supporting People programme - Who is eligible, and is there a cost?
Any vulnerable person over 16 who is in need of the kinds of support services the programme provides, and who has a housing responsibility as a tenant, licensee, or owner occupier.
Services are either “short term” in nature (i.e. people receive them for up to two years) for which there is no cost to the service user, or they are long-term in nature for which a charge may be levied. If the service user is in receipt of a means tested benefit they may be eligible to have their support costs met on their behalf through the Supporting People Programme. In these cases the service user must be in receipt of Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit, Job Seekers Allowance, Pension Credit or Income Support. To determine the amount of support charge someone may have to pay when accessing long-term services people can be referred by their support service provider to the financial assessment process operated on behalf of the Hampshire Supporting People Programme by the CAB in Rushmoor.
Finding Out More & Further Information
To find details of Supporting People service providers in Gosport, or other parts of Hampshire, or to identify an appropriate service the following can be contacted:
Additional information relating to:
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The current (2005-2010) Hampshire Supporting People Strategy
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Implementation of the Supporting People Programme in Gosport
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Supporting People policy at the county and local level
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How the Supporting People Programme in Hampshire is organised, administered and governed.
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News and events relating to the programme
Can be accessed via:
General enquiries to the Hampshire Supporting People Team can also be made via e-mail to : supporting.people@hants.gov.uk and by phone on (01962) 826000
Information relating to the Supporting People programme nationally is also available from the national Supporting People website at: www.spkweb.org.uk
