HOUSING SUPPORT SERVICES - APRIL 2008
The Scottish Government and COSLA have agreed that, as part of a new relationship between them, there will be a substantial reduction in the number of separate funding streams to local government.
The full terms of the agreement are set out in a concordat signed by the Scottish Ministers and the COSLA Presidential team on November 14, 2007.
As a result of this, from April 1 2008 the Supporting People programme baseline was rolled up into the local government settlement. The removal of the ring fence from the Supporting People programme allows more flexible support packages to be developed, reducing administrative and accounting functions to ensure maximum resources go to front line services.
Funding for housing support services is still there, simply absorbed within the main local government settlement, but no indicative amounts were given for housing support or any other non ring fenced service.
Housing support services have an important role to play in delivering against some of the 15 new national outcomes and 45 national indicators, but there is no separate national indicator around housing support, although there is a local indicator on care and support (No29) in the suite of local indicators developed by the Improvement Service.
We all want to ensure the tremendous benefits that have come through the development of housing support services under the Supporting People programme are safeguarded.
Research recently published by the Scottish Government confirms that investment in housing support services more than pays for itself by the savings generated elsewhere, notably on community care and NHS budgets, and in relation to homelessness and crime, as well as the very significant quality of life benefits for individuals. See links opposite for research reports etc.
The Housing Support, Advice and Standards team within the Scottish Government remain responsible for policy on housing support services.
For more information contact:
Housing and Regeneration Directorate
Housing Access Support Division
Housing Support Team
T: 0131 244 5522
F: 0.131 244 5529
Email: housingsupport@scotland.gsi.gov.uk