Councils: National Funding Needed For Elderly Sheltered Housing

Local government leaders have called for a two-pronged approach to the funding of sheltered housing. The Local Government Association’s housing commission has said the Local Housing Allowance (LHA) cap is “not sufficient” to meet the higher rents charged in supported housing. The commission said older people in sheltered housing should receive payments from a nationally administered fund, whereas vulnerable people with support needs should partly be supported by grant funding from their local council. The government recently announced a top-up fund would be given to councils to cover any costs for supported housing tenants above the LHA rate. However, no further detail has been published on the amount of the fund or how it will be allocated. Download a copy of the LGA report from their website.

LGA Launches Housing Commission

The Local Government Association has launched a Housing Commission to consider ways for councils to increase the supply of homes. The group will consider how town halls can contribute to building the 230,000 new homes England needs. Under its terms of reference, it will consider new ways councils can enable investment in new homes, as well as their placemaking role fostering prosperous places and communities. The potential for housing to support tenants into employment will also be examined, as will how housing can be used to help manage the ageing population and help reduce social care and health service costs.  A call for evidence has been issued looking for examples of good practice that have successfully addressed those issues, and asking what is needed to build on those successes. Read more on the Public Finance website.