Rural Review

Rural Review Annual Progress Report on the Implementation of the Housing Executive Rural Action Plan
4.0 Supporting Independent Living
includes:
• The ‘Supporting People’ programme which assists with the
support needs of vulnerable people;
• Dealing with rural homelessness.
What we set out to do between
2009/10 and 2012/13
4.1 In selected rural area(s), develop community –
based housing support services (possibly linked
to domiciliary care) to assist older people to
remain in their homes.
4.2 Create greater awareness of housing support
services amongst the rural community and
voluntary sector to assist in identifying capacity
and options for delivering services.
4.3 Review the work of Home Improvement Agencies
who provide ‘care and repair’ services in rural areas.
4.4 Investigate possibilities for remodelling some
existing rural sheltered accommodation.
4.5 Map and monitor single-let accommodation
used for homeless temporary accommodation
with a view to providing appropriate support
services to occupants.
4.6 Take account of rural temporary
accommodation needs in reviewing our Area
Homelessness Action Plans on an annual basis.
4.7 Review District Information Packs (for those
homeless or threatened with homelessness in
rural locations).
What’s been done to date?
A scheme providing services for older people has recently commenced in the Western Health and Social Care Trust
area and it is hoped to roll this into the rural hinterland of Londonderry. A number of existing floating support services
have also been restructured to provide greater coverage in rural areas.
This will be addressed in 2011/12 through inclusion of rural awareness in the Supporting People communications
strategy, e.g., the Supporting People newsletter ‘Spotlight’ has been distributed to a wider circulation list and will
feature articles on access to service in rural areas.
Research on this is due to be commissioned during summer 2011. Work is underway with the 5 Health and Social Care
Trusts regarding the development of the Enablement Strategies and the opportunities to connect housing support services
including Home Improvement Agencies with the work that Health and Social Care Trusts are doing around older people.
This action was proposed as some rural sheltered schemes have comparatively higher levels of under-occupation.
In the past year, consideration has been given to restructuring one such scheme in Portaferry – options have been
identified and will be taken forward subject to funding being available in 2011/12.
The completed results of the mapping exercise will be available in summer 2011. This will help to identify possible gaps
in provision where the potential for floating support services can be further explored. Any resultant action can then be
taken forward following the current review of the Housing Executive’s Homelessness Strategy.
Area Homelessness Action Plans are currently being developed and Housing Executive Area Homeless Officers have been
asked to take rural issues into consideration as part of this process; this would include where appropriate, the provision of
temporary accommodation and the further development of floating support services for vulnerable households.
Work has begun to review these rural information packs in order to ensure that information is up to date and that an
adequate supply is available for distribution in rural communities. In addition, it is recognised that access to information
on homelessness can be more difficult in rural areas. To assist in overcoming this, the Housing Executive funds the
Housing Rights Service to provide a comprehensive on line information and advice service on all aspects of housing
(Housing Advice Northern Ireland). The site is kept under continual review.
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