Housing Benefit Issues For Single People In Need Of Support

(Exempt Accommodation  *  Subsidy  *  Supporting People)

 A Workshop in which Housing Benefit staff, supported housing providers and other stakeholders can look at all the issues affecting this sector.

People with chaotic life styles often find themselves falling between two stools when it comes to housing matters! Single people of working age are especially vulnerable - without children and without serious illness or disability, they tend not to qualify for priority statutory homelessness assistance; but a combination of some or all of drug or alcohol misuse, a history of offending, estrangement from family and chronic depression or other health problems tend to exclude them from the general needs private rented sector and from life opportunities in general.

There are many niche providers in the charitable and voluntary sector who cater for this group, but funding and especially eligible rent levels for Housing Benefit can be a problem for both providers and local authorities.  At a corporate level, the local authority finds itself faced with a dilemma: on the one hand, the authority welcomes the fact that there are energetic and dedicated organisations tackling the problems associated with drugs, alcohol and rough sleeping; but on the other hand it has to keep an eye on HB expenditure that does not attract full subsidy – are there more effective ways to use the same money to serve the same client group?

The course presenter has spent much of the past year and a half assisting local authorities with this complex and time-consuming area of work. He has observed many examples of innovative good practice and joined-up thinking.  In this Workshop the issues are presented in an impartial way – delegates from both the provider side and local authority side are encouraged to approach the subject with an open mind.  Subjects covered during the day include:

·       Historical perspective – the relationship between Housing Benefit and support from the 1990s to the present day

·       Intensive Housing Management – is this the new “grey area” where services related to the provision of adequate accommodation merge into personal support ... or is this really just the same old grey area that Supporting People was supposed to have cleared up once and for all?

·       Different approaches to rent-setting - how to value core rent and eligible services

·       Housing Benefit subsidy rules – exactly when does the 60% rate apply and when does the 0% rate apply?

·       Supporting People funded accommodation-based projects and floating support – how should access to these services be managed? How can these services be integrated with other housing services such as private sector housing advice?

·       The HB appeal process – managing the process efficiently by way of lead/sample cases; the role of consent orders to dispose of existing appeals and provide a framework for future decision making

Our presenter, Peter Barker (the “HB Anorak”), comes from a Housing Benefit background and the focus of the course is largely on Housing Benefit issues, but also offering practitioners some insight into other related areas. However, delegates from both the local authority HB sector and delegates from the provider side will find this course useful and a forum to share their own experiences and views. Registered Social Housing Providers are not immune from these issues, but the main difficulties arise where the provider is a voluntary organisation or charity but not a Registered Provider - delegates from the provider side will therefore find the course most relevant if they are operating in that sector.

Your Presenter

Peter Barker

Peter Barker has worked in the field of benefits since 1985. His previous posts include working for the Citizens Advice, Westminster City Council and the Local Government Ombudsman, where he edited the in-house Housing Benefit practice note.He now works as a trainer, appeals presenter/submission writer and specialist adviser.

Peter is an expert on the decisions and appeals adjudication framework and European rights of residence. He has a detailed knowledge of case law and he has recently developed a methodology for resolving disputes about supported and exempt accommodation.