Supported and Sheltered housing

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Marmion House, Lichfield Street, Tamworth, Staffordshire B79 7BZ Phone: 01827 709709 enquiries@tamworth.gov.uk

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Supported and Sheltered housing

Code of Practice Accreditation

CHS accreditation logo

Residents living in sheltered schemes across Tamworth can rest assured it is among the best in the country – after the schemes achieved re-accreditation by the Code of Practice in September 2011.

It is the third time the borough council has been awarded the accreditation by the Code of Practise in September 2011, after CHS (centre for housing and support) recognised the high standards at the town’s 11 sheltered housing schemes for the over 60s.

Continuing high standards, ongoing improvements and social events were just some of the achievements highlighted by the CHS.

The accreditation comes at the end of a three-year period of assessment, during which staff had to show that sheltered housing in the borough was being run to a high standard. This included evidence that staff receive regular, ongoing training, that residents living in the sheltered schemes and treated fairly and equally, that their rights were protected and that they are given the opportunity to get involved in the life of their sheltered accommodation.

Cllr Mary Oates, Cabinet member for Quality of Life, said: “The awarding of the CHS accreditation is a testament to the high level of care and support provided by our sheltered housing service and is a tribute to the hard work of staff in ensuring that those high standards are maintained.

“We know that service improvement does not stop with accreditation and we will use this achievement as a platform to improve our service further in the future.”

The sheltered housing service will keep the accreditation for the next three
years.

Supported Housing

Supported Housing Services are funded through the Supporting People programme and are aimed at helping people to live more independently and maintain their tenancies.

Independence is important to most of us and the Council provides a range of services to help and support you to make life easier.

Please click on the links on the right to find out more about the individual services available.

Homelessness Services. This is a housing and support project for people faced with homelessness.

Who can apply?

Homeless Services is for homeless people generally aged 16 years and over who want to make use of the support available.

You can refer yourself directly to us or other agencies can make a referral on your behalf.

Sheltered Housing. This is accommodation with the services of an Independent Living Manager for people aged 60+ (see more information below)

Extra Care Housing. This is self contained flats with access to a 24 hour onsite care team suitable for people aged 60+ who would benefit from the support available.

Community Alarm Service. This provides you with the reassurance and confidence help is at hand 24 hours a day 365 days a year.

The Council also works in partnership with The Pathway Project to provide a refuge for women and their children escaping domestic violence. You can access their service 24 hours a day.

Telephone (in confidence) : 01543 676800.

If you would like any further information about our Sheltered or Supported Housing Services please contact the Independent Living Co-ordinator, Mr John Coombes or the Housing Options Manager, Mrs Lee Birch on 01827 709709

Sheltered Housing

This is accommodation with the services of an Independent Living Manager for people aged 60+

Community Alarm Service providing you with the reassurance and confidence help is at hand 24 hours a day 365 days a year.

This web page contains information for people who might wish to apply to live in sheltered housing in Tamworth and also for their families. It explains how the schemes are run and what Independent Living Managers do.

The web page will also provide current residents with clear guidance on what services they can expect to receive.

What is sheltered housing?

Who is sheltered housing for?

What does the Independent Living Manager do?

What is expected of tenants?

How can friends and family help?

Are there any special conditions of tenancy?

A tenancy in sheltered housing is a standard secure tenancy subject to:

The particular service provided by the Independent Living Managers and Homelink.
Schemes with shared access are unsuitable for keeping pets such as dogs and cats though caged birds are welcome
Lodgers are not allowed in sheltered housing accommodation under any circumstances. This is because the accommodation is specially built for the elderly

Service charges

In addition to the basic weekly rent tenants of sheltered housing pay specific service charges for the specialised service they receive.

These service are

A Management service charge, which reflects the cost of maintaining, and providing the scheme as sheltered housing.
A support service charge that relates to services specifically provided to support individuals (for example a proportion of the cost of providing an Independent Living Manager and the cost of providing an alarm system).
There is a service charge relating to our Wel being 24-hour monitoring service provided by Wealden and Eastbourne Lifeline.
Some schemes will also charge for the provision of communal laundry facilities.

The specific details of the rates of charges that apply to your scheme will be detailed on your offer letter, tenancy agreement and rent card.

Communal facilities

The following facilities are available in Sheltered Housing schemes. Please note that not all of the schemes will have the complete range of communal facilities.

A communal lounge - for use by all tenants and their visitors. Most schemes run regular social activities such as coffee mornings, bingo and luncheon clubs, which are held in the lounge. Sometimes the lounges are also used for social events by other sheltered housing schemes or other older people in the neighbourhood, who do not have their own lounge. Lounges may sometimes be used for tenants private functions though these must be booked through the Independent Living Manager well in advance.

Laundry rooms - tenants are responsible for their own laundry and facilities are provided within most of the schemes. Please note that Community Care Assistants always have priority use of the laundry facilities as they are working to a strict time schedule.

Telephone - Residents can have their own private telephone installed in their home if they so wish.

Library - some schemes have a library or reading area for use by residents. This is stocked with books from the mobile library van, which are changed regularly.

TV Licences - some schemes qualify for a concessionary television licence, which currently costs £7.50 per unit per year. This money is collected by the Independent Living Manager. Your Independent Living Manager will be able to tell you if you are eligible for a concessionary licence.

Guestrooms - some schemes have a guestroom available for visiting friends and relatives. These can be booked through the Independent Living Manager for a reasonable nightly charge.