Housing for Varying Needs Review - Aberdeen City Council

NeedsHousing for Varying Needs Review• Meals provision applicable only in very sheltered housingcomplexes• Heating Charge• A charge may be applied to tenants under 65 for personal care,which is subject to financial assessment.• Personal care is provided without charge for those aged 65 andover.• Council Tax• Electricity for domestic use8.2 The funding of and current charging policy for the housing supportservice (warden service) is complex and dependent on the tenancy startdate.• The introduction of the Supporting People (SP) programme on 1April 2003 saw the services provided by wardens in sheltered andvery sheltered housing classified and registered as a housingsupport service.• Prior to 1 April 2003, these services were funded from the rent pooland general fund. Tenants whose tenancy started before this dateare currently protected tenants and are exempt from charges for theduration of their tenancy.• The sum of c£400k is paid from the Housing Revenue Account tocover these costs.• Tenancies created between 1 April 2003 and 31 March 2006 wherethe tenant was in receipt of Housing Benefit were passported andare exempt from charging for the duration of their tenancy or wherethey had no Housing Benefit entitlement they were subject to thecharge subject to a financial assessment.• ACC made the decision to defer charging for all housing supportservices including warden service until 2 May 2005.• COSLA provided guidance on charging for these services whichthey revised on the 1 April 2006.• The current charge of £19.70 for sheltered and £29.26 for verysheltered housing support charges was implemented from 1 April2006 following the revised COSLA guidance and has not beenincreased since that date.• Tenancies from 1 April 2006 are subject to financial assessmentirrespective of entitlement to Housing Benefit.• If the tenant(s) declines a financial assessment then the full chargeis applied.• In 2009/10, COSLA revised their guidance on the removal of thepassport protection and indicated that it should only apply to newrecipients of a service.• Further revision in 2011/12 (see below).8.3 The charges to tenants for housing support services in Aberdeen Cityhave not been increased since April 2006. Charges for other non-19