Aberdeen City Council s Response to the Draft National Strategy for Housing for Older People: Consultation

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1 Aberdeen City Council s Response to the Draft National Strategy for Housing for Older People: Consultation Introduction Aberdeen City Council welcomes the opportunity to comment on the draft strategy: Age, Home and Community: A Strategy for Housing for Scotland s Older People: The strategy highlights the twin challenges of the projected increase in the ageing population and reduction in public spending and is line with Government policies around Shifting the Balance of Care. We acknowledge the strategy forms part of the Reshaping Care for Older People programme and is an early action from the housing work-stream: Wider Planning for an Ageing Population. We note the draft strategy sets out key themes and commitments and identifies five key outcomes. Our comments on these are given below: Outcome 1 Strategic Leadership to ensure that clear strategic leadership is in place at national and local level about the housing outcomes to be delivered for older people : We welcome the aspiration to achieve a clear vision for housing for older people in Scotland and are encouraged to see that the importance of housing and housing related support services is acknowledged throughout the document. We believe that the Local Housing Strategy (LHS) will continue to play an important role in the strategic planning for all housing services and the strategy must be aligned with the development of the LHS. This aim fits with our current policies. We are undertaking a strategic review of our sheltered housing accommodation and services and have completed a Housing Needs and Demand Assessment, which includes a section on the needs of older people within the Particular Needs Chapter. The Change Fund provides an opportunity to support the aims of the strategy. Locally this is administered by the Integrated Strategic Management Team, a multi-agency partnership including representatives from social care and wellbeing, health and

2 housing. The partnership has agreed a number of projects as part of the Change Fund allocation including a project to research the needs of homeless older people. Outcome 2 Information and Advice Older people should receive the information and advice they need in time to make the best decision about their housing and support : The strategy identifies a number of specific actions including: Reviewing information and advice services Publicising information sources Joining up with health and social care to develop online information on housing and support. Making choice matter piloting a housing options approach Enhancing quality of advice by encouraging organisations providing advice to gain accreditation under the Scottish National Standards for Information and Advice providers. We support this objective and are currently working towards some of the outcomes identified, for example, we are reviewing our Housing Options Guide, which includes a section on Older People s housing options. We provide funding to support the Disabled Persons Housing Service (DPHS) in Aberdeen who deliver an information, advice and advocacy service for older people and people who have a disability in Aberdeen. The DPHS are taking part in the pilot of the Scottish Accessible Housing Register (SAHR). In addition to this we have access to a number of established local and national online information services such as Grampian CareData, Age Concern, VSA and our own website. We would hope that any new online service will build on this capacity rather than re-inventing the wheel. Outcome 3 Better use of existing housing The strategy identifies the need to make best use of existing stock and highlights five areas for improvement: Housing adaptation services Repairs services Support to move home Housing with care or support Personal resources and investment in housing In principle we support the actions identified in the strategy in relation to this outcome but have some reservations around how this can be funded. Funding for adaptations is currently provided across all tenures. The system for funding RSL adaptations is currently under review and the outcome of this could impact on local

3 provision. There is a need to consider the funding of adaptations by Charitable Housing Providers who cannot access Stage 3 funding. In Aberdeen we have recently reviewed our Scheme of Allocations and are introducing a Housing Assessment Team who will assess the medical and social priority for housing allocations to ensure best use of our adapted and special needs properties (including sheltered and very sheltered housing). As mentioned above, we are currently undertaking a strategic review of our housing for varying needs (sheltered housing) stock. The review is considering future use of our existing physical accommodation, charging policy for support services and future needs and demands. We will report to Council in December 2011, within this we shall take cognisance of the contents of the draft strategy. Locally we have already implemented a number of initiatives linked to this objective. To ensure best use of existing stock we have put in place a downsizing scheme. In addition to this we have established a policy to convert all our one bed cottages to amenity standard (for people aged 55 and over or those with a disability) and we are working towards improving the energy efficiency of all our properties. Outcome 4 New build housing with care or support The strategy discusses the importance of the planning system and older peoples housing requirements within the New build housing section. It is on this part of the document that comments have been. The consultation document makes good planning sense and many of the statements outlined in the planning section are agreed with. The overarching statement, New housing in Scotland should be accessible and adaptable and meet the needs of older people, is true of the Scottish Government document, Scottish Sustainable Communities Initiative which promotes adaptable and flexible buildings to accommodate lifestyle, economic and climate changes. The planning system as a whole is encouraging and promoting the development of sustainable communities and as part of this, as outlined in the consultation document, Scottish Planning Policy paragraph 78 requires a mix of house types and tenures to encourage a good population mix. The Aberdeen Local Development Plan Proposed Plan, which is going through the examination process at present, supports this as outlined in Policy H4 Housing Mix which asserts Housing developments of larger than 50 units are required to achieve an appropriate mix of dwelling types and sizes, in line with a masterplan, reflecting the accommodation requirements of specific groups, in particular families and older people. This mix is in addition to affordable housing contributions. Accessibility to good transport links and services, alongside creating developments that have a sense of place and community are also paramount within the Scottish Sustainable Communities Initiative and are promoted within the Draft National Housing Strategy for Older People: Consultation. Further to this, Planning Advice Note 78:

4 Inclusive Design looks at how to improve the design of places both internally and externally so that they can be used by everyone - regardless of age, gender or disability. The planning system can allow for the development of a diversity of housing types and sizes, which are readily adaptable to the changing needs of society, and which are located within communities that provide access to a mix and range of services and amenities. It is felt that these aims complement the aims of the New build housing section of the strategy. Outcome 5 Preventative Support The strategy highlights the importance of low level, preventative support and the role of landlords in supporting wider activities and services. Our response to the four areas of potential improvement identified in the strategy is given below: Promoting the benefits of housing support Handyperson Services Supporting Communities Telecare We support these aims and indeed can provide examples of good practice in the City including provision of housing support services to vulnerable groups, funding to support Care and Repair project and Handyperson Services and investment in telecare services. However, we would highlight our concerns around budgetary implications. There is no capacity to expand housing support services funded by Supporting People funding within current budget levels and pump-priming monies would be required to develop provision further. Handypersons services play an important role in developing future service. We believe the development of a social enterprise would be beneficial. We provide funding to support this service but due to current budgetary pressures we could not extend the scope of this funding and would suggest that the service should become self-funding. We support the development of sustainable community and would welcome the development of a mechanism to share best practice. We have provided significant investment in telecare services in Aberdeen City, supported by the funding provided through the National Telecare Programme. The provision of telecare is already considered as part of our assessment of needs. We believe that telecare packages should be based upon assessed need regardless of age. Conclusion Aberdeen City Council prepared a response to the Wider Planning for an Ageing Population Consultation carried out in the summer of The draft strategy reflects

5 many views expressed in our response and it is broadly in line with our current policies and practices around supporting older people to live independently. Whilst we welcome the development of a strategy that recognises the importance of housing for older people we would appreciate the opportunity for further dialogue regarding the implementation timescales, resourcing issues and monitoring arrangements. In principle we support the actions and outcomes identified within the strategy. We have some concerns around the potential resourcing issues to support these outcomes, particularly in view of the reducing public sector budgets. Consideration needs to be given to the potential tenure shift with an increase in the number of owner occupiers who need to maintain their properties to a reasonable standard. The development of a trusted equity release service, support services provided by social enterprise organisation and development of self directed support need to be considered. Submitted on behalf of Aberdeen City Council by: Dorothy Askew Community Care Housing Strategy Officer Housing and Environment Aberdeen City Council Business Hub 11 Second Floor West Marischal College Broad Street Aberdeen AB10 1AB 30 September 2011