NHS England Housing update to TCPs
NHS England has made available £20million each year until 2020/21 to support the development of increased housing options for children, young people and adults with learning disabilities and/or autism who display behaviour that challenges.
The aim of the capital fund is to help Transforming Care Partnerships to deliver the range of housing options needed to help deliver on their commitment to Building the Right Support by Building the Right Homes. Key to this is the principle that people with a learning disability should have choice over where they live and who they live with, and be offered settled accommodation.
The priority is for settled accommodation and schemes that provide short term accommodation to facilitate discharge from inpatient settings, in particular those people who have been in long stay hospital settings for more than 3.5 years and are waiting to be discharged. In some exceptional cases we will invest in residential models where this is the best model for the people needing the accommodation.
However, the funding is also available to provide housing options to those people at risk of an inpatient admission , including children and young people and those going through transitions with assessed learning disabilities or autism.
In the last year the funding has been used for:
- Property purchases to create settled accommodation including flats and houses
- Property redevelopment or adaptations to create bespoke environments
- Developing crisis response short stay units
- Supported living for young people with complex health needs
- Residential short break accommodation for children and young people at risk of inpatient admission
- Step up/step down accommodation
How do we access the funding?
There is an initial regional decision making process used to assess bids. Those bids which are supported by the regional teams are then subject to national approval before any capital funding is confirmed.
Ideas for using the capital can, in the first instance, be explored with your sub-regional housing lead. If there is general support for the idea, the capital funding requirements should be submitted by a sponsoring CCG. Your Regional housing lead can support you with the application process.
Can the capital funding be used as match funding?
NHS Learning Disability Capital funding can be used to fund all of the capital costs of a project or can be used alongside other forms of capital funding, such as:
• Department of Health capital, such as the Care and Support Specialised Housing Fund
• Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) Affordable Homes Programme
• Disabled Facilities Grants (for aids and adaptations) administered locally via the Better Care Fund
• Private and social investment
Who can receive the capital funding?
The funding can be paid to local authorities, housing authorities, registered social landlords or registered private landlords of social housing. In addition, capital funding can be made to voluntary organisations which provide services similar to those of NHS England’s functions.
The capital funding is similar to an equity loan and is secured against the property. Consequently, there is a legal process which needs to be undertaken before the monies can be released and this can take some time to complete. Your Regional housing lead can advise you further on the detailed process.
More information
Wendy Hicks (London and East): Wendy.hicks1@nhs.net
John Hier (Midlands): John.hier2@nhs.net
Fred Grand (North East): fred.grand@nhs.net
Jane Bellwood (North West): jane.bellwood@nhs.net
Mark McGoogan (South West): mark.mcgoogan@nhs.net
Pip Hughes (Yorkshire & Humber): philippa.hughes@nhs.net
Source LD England