Private Sector Housing Assistance Policy

National Policy consistently highlights the importance of housing and the fundamental role it plays in prevention, promoting independence health and wellbeing. Councils have several statutory obligations in respect of private sector housing including those relating to housing standards and eradication of risk through to the delivery of Disabled Facilities Grants.

Lifetime Homes, Lifetime Neighbourhoods

A National Strategy for Housing in an Ageing Society is about improving living standards for older people. The strategy recognises that housing, health and social care need to be increasingly interdependent as no sector can deal with the challenges of an ageing population alone.

Better Care Fund

The Better Care Fund (BCF) is a pooled budget that enables the NHS and local authorities to jointly commission health and social care services, to drive development of integration locally.

The BCF includes Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) monies. The budget for DFGs is no longer ring-fenced therefore it is vital that the district council, who as the housing authority has the statutory responsibility to deliver DFGs is linked into the process of developing and delivering the BCF with the lead agencies within health and social care. To this end a locality plan has been jointly developed by Great Yarmouth Borough Council, Norfolk County Council and Norfolk & Waveney ICB.

Managing Transfers of Care - A High Impact Change Model

The High Impact Change Model refreshed in 2023 is designed to support system partners to improve health and wellbeing, minimise unnecessary hospital stays and encourage consideration of new interventions. Change 10 of the model refers to housing and related services and highlights the importance of having effective mechanisms in place that address housing issues early in discharge planning, which maximise independence and support people to go home. Change 10 mentions the need for housing and homelessness services, home adaptations and equipment services to enable a safe effective discharge. The District Direct and Be at Home services have proven consistently that the Council is delivering on Change 9.

Source: Local Government Association: Managing transfers of care

National Strategy for Autistic Children, Young people and Adults: 2021 to 2026

The Government's refreshed national strategy for improving the lives of autistic people and the families and carers. The Strategy seeks to improve autistic people's access to housing that, meets their needs, by increasing the provision supported housing, enabling more people to access adaptations to their homes.

Source: National strategy for autistic children, young people and adults: 2021 to 2026