Communities 12

Support Services for Tenants and Vulnerable People

North District Council This document is available in large print, Braille, audio tape, electronic formats such as CD, or in a different language. For a copy please contact Customer Services at the Council using the following options:

Phone: 01529 414155 (main switchboard) or 01522 699699 (if calling from a Lincoln number)

Minicom: 01529 308088

Fax: 01529 413956

Web: www.n-kesteven.gov.uk

Email: [email protected]

Communities North Kesteven District Council Kesteven Street NG34 7EF

HSG6384SW

2 Support services for tenants and vulnerable people Support services for tenants and vulnerable people

There is a wide range of support for all tenants and residents, either through the Council or other organisations. This leaflet explains what support services are available through the Council. It covers: • Sheltered housing; • Community lifelines; • Accessible homes; • Adaptations; • Vulnerability Scheme; and • Floating support service.

Sheltered housing

What is sheltered housing?

People often confuse sheltered housing with residential care. Sheltered housing is a tenancy of your own, where you live independently. We make sure that someone is available to help you if you need it. Sheltered Housing is not Residential Care.

We have around 410 bungalows, flats and bedsits in sheltered schemes across the District. Some have open plan gardens, which we will maintain. Some have individual gardens for you to look after.

Sheltered housing offers: • Your own front door; • Privacy; • Independence; • Respect; • Support only when you need it; • Help to arrange additional services when you need them;

Support services for tenants and vulnerable people 3 • 24-hour emergency call system; and • Optional social activities, such as day trips out and about.

We do provide support:

The Support Co-ordinator spends time with all new residents to talk about what support they need. We encourage people to remain independent. We use our knowledge and experience to try and arrange any additional help that may be needed.

Support that people need to stay independent does sometimes change. Some will have temporary health problems and need just a bit of extra help until they are feeling better. Others will have long-term health problems, and need more help to stay safe and well in their own home. We regularly talk to our residents about their changing needs.

Support co-ordinators support residents by helping them maintain their independence. They can give support and advice on: • Personal care assistance in your home, such as washing, dressing, cleaning and shopping; • Adaptations to your home, such as handrails, bath aids, lever taps and showers etc; • Making the most of your income; • Local amenities, such as shops, doctors, dentists and opticians; • Visiting services, such as hairdressers, chiropodists, beauty treatments, dentists, hearing tests and opticians; • Paying bills; • Local support groups; • Leisure activities and local social clubs, such as exercise classes, art and craft classes, lunch clubs and bingo; • Travel, including bus routes, taxi companies, travel passes and the Blue Badge Scheme; • Repairs, including our ‘Handyman’, who can put up curtain

4 Support services for tenants and vulnerable people poles and move heavy furniture for example; and • Many other things. We may not do it ourselves, but we might know someone who does. Please ask!

Where is the sheltered housing? We have properties in:

• ; • Sleaford; • Waddington; • ; • ; • Heighington; and • ; • ; • . • Digby; • ;

Individual leaflets on each Sheltered Scheme are available from the District Council Offices.

Supporting People

‘Supporting People’ is the name of a grant you can claim to pay for additional help you might need to remain independent. For more information either speak to your Support Co-ordinator, or telephone the Council offices in Sleaford.

Community Lifeline Service

The Community Lifeline Service is for anyone who lives in North Kesteven. It provides a 24-hour monitoring service for reassurance, advice and emergencies. If requested, Support Co-ordinators will also regularly visit Lifeline users.

Each Lifeline user wears a pendant, which contains a help button. This is pushed when support or help is needed and allows people to live independently.

When the button is pressed you will contact a trained operator. They will have all the details of your family, friends, doctor or

Support services for tenants and vulnerable people 5 other emergency contacts, and will stay talking with you until help has arrived.

For more information please contact the Lifeline office on 01400 273025.

Accessible homes

The majority of special need properties are on the ground floor. When allocating these properties priority is given to people who: • Are 60 years (or with support needs for sheltered schemes) or • Have a medical need for ground floor accommodation. Anyone who is interested in transferring to ground floor accommodation should contact the Housing Needs team at the Council Offices in Sleaford.

Adaptations

Sometimes adaptations, such as a handrail, shower or wheelchair ramp may be provided to give a disabled member of a household greater independence and ability to keep their tenancy.

We may also be able to help if you would benefit from extensive alterations to your home due to having a disability. Alternatively you may be asked to consider moving to accommodation, which already has these adaptations.

If you believe you would benefit from adaptations contact the Housing Grants team at the Council’s offices in Sleaford.

Vulnerability Scheme

The Vulnerability Scheme identifies and supports all new secure tenants who are vulnerable and finding it hard to keep up with their tenancy agreement.

6 Support services for tenants and vulnerable people Housing officers visit all new tenants for a ‘settling in’ interview, six weeks after moving in. They undertake an assessment of tenant vulnerability or any unmet needs.

Officers can then advise and/or make referrals to services provided by other organisations to help with the tenants’ health and well being. This can include referrals for any adaptations that may be needed.

If you believe you would benefit from having an assessment please contact your Housing Officer.

Sanctuary Scheme

Domestic abuse is the abuse of someone by a partner, ex- partner or resident family member. People can be abused in the following ways: • Physically; • Psychologically; • Emotionally; • Economically; and/or • Sexually.

Anyone can be a victim of domestic abuse.

The Sanctuary Scheme has been developed for people who find themselves affected by domestic violence and abuse in North Kesteven. The aim of the Scheme has been to provide additional security measures to your property, by carrying out building works that make it difficult for unwanted visitors to gain access to the property. This helps victims remain in their home and feel safe.

Often victims feel scared, helpless and ashamed, because they have lost their confidence and self esteem. Professionals understand these feelings and are here to support you. Our aim is to make sure that you are safe and give you the support you need.

Support services for tenants and vulnerable people 7 The Scheme is available to: • Council tenants; • Housing association tenants; • Private tenants; and • Owner-occupiers.

For more information telephone the Housing Needs team at the Council’s offices in Sleaford.

Homelessness Floating Support Service

The aim of this service is: • To provide non-secure tenants with support in order for them to keep up with their tenancy; and • To enable non-secure tenants to resolve any issues that may affect their tenancy before they become secure tenants.

Who is eligible for support? • Anyone who is homeless and who needs support in securing alternative accommodation; • Those who are housed by the Council on non-secure tenancies; and • Anyone at risk of losing their home

A Housing Support Worker will be able to help with things such as; • Accessing support and advice services from a number of organisations; • Buying furniture and other household items; • Giving advice on tenancies, including rights and responsibilities; and • Accessing training and employment opportunities.

Your Housing Support Worker will discuss your specific needs, identify suitable support and agree an action plan with you. This is then recorded in a personal support plan.

8 Support services for tenants and vulnerable people