'Supporting People' in Manchester

What is ‘Supporting People’?

'Supporting People' is a new way of paying for housing related support services for tenants, some people who live in a leasehold property, and some people who own their own homes.  The Supporting People Fund pays for the housing related support service that is provided to vulnerable members of the community. 

What is ‘housing related support’?

Housing related support is defined as ‘enabling, reminding and non-professional counselling with the aim of achieving greater independence’.  In practice it means advice and help to make it easier for people to live independently.

Housing related support can include:

• Someone who helps service users to manage money and pay bills.
• A community alarm service or a warden or scheme manager who is there in case service users need help.
• Someone who helps service users to learn how to live independently.
• Someone who helps service users to learn how to follow the rules in their tenancy agreement.

‘Supporting People’ does not pay for any care that service users receive; this continues to be paid for separately. For example the Supporting People Fund does not pay for someone who makes meals or for personal care.

How will ‘Supporting People’ benefit Manchester residents?

Manchester City Council manages ‘Supporting People’ for the people of Manchester.  This will mean that the Council can make sure the support services are high quality and meet user needs.

What are the aims of ‘Supporting People’?

• To replace a complex system of multiple funding sources, such as part of Housing Benefit called Transitional Housing Benefit, with one ‘Supporting People’ fund.
• To allow Manchester City Council to commission the kind of housing related support services which people in Manchester really need, and make sure the services are high quality and reasonably priced.
• To encourage providers to monitor their own performance, identify unmet needs and improve their services to people in Manchester.
• To ensure that people who use the support services will be informed and involved in, and can influence, the design and delivery of services.

What will change?

Service users shouldn't notice any immediate difference in the housing related support they receive or how much it costs.  However, some important changes will take place for Manchester City Council, service providers and the Housing Benefit service.  These changes include:

• from 1st April 2003 Housing Benefit stopped paying for support.  Transitional Housing Benefit has been replaced by the ‘Supporting People’ fund, administered by Manchester City Council.  Housing Benefit will continue to help many people pay their rent ('bricks and mortar') and service charge.  Payments for housing related support will be paid to the provider of support.
   
• Rent statements should have changed so that they show separate amounts for:
  • rent and any service charges paid for by Housing Benefit;
  • the cost of any service charge that is ineligible for either funding source such as personal bills like water or electricity, which tenants should already be paying; and
  • housing related support paid for by the ‘Supporting People’ fund.
• Service providers will have contracts with Manchester City Council to provide specific kinds of support.  These contracts will be reviewed within the first three years, so all providers will have their contracts reviewed by April 2006.  This means that Manchester City Council will be able to make sure the support being offered is high quality, reasonably priced and the right kind of support in the right places.

Manchester City Council will ask people who get housing related support what they think of it.  As a result, support to service users should improve over time.

More information for Providers

Tel: 0161 234 3605

Fax: 0161 234 4432

Back to top

This site contains links to sites which are not run by Manchester City Council. The Council does not endorse these sites nor guarantee their authenticity or accuracy

Designed by: Manchester City Council Internet/Intranet Team and Housing IT Group
All Images & Text Copyright © Manchester City Council unless otherwise stated
All Rights Reserved.

Home | Advanced Search | Contact the Council | Site A to Z