What is Supported Housing?
Our aim is to provide high quality accommodation together with a dedicated team who provide a support service for people; this can be single people, single parent families, and couples with or without children. Our support is to help people through the crisis they face and to prepare them to successfully move on to their own independent tenancies. We offer free help, guidance and advice such as:
- Claiming welfare benefits
- Help in sorting out debt problems and budgeting
- Support and encouragement in career choices and gaining qualifications (e.g. keeping you up to date with where and what courses are available, help with forms, and CVs and accompanying you to appointments)
- Keeping you motivated and involved in decision making
- Contact other services/ agencies on your behalf
Who can apply?
It is for homeless people 18+ who need support and accommodation. Applications can come to us via referrals from housing team or other agencies.
The applicant is required to have an active housing application register with Tamworth Borough Council, or we will also ask you to submit a form if you haven’t got one with us.
Your referral will not be processed without a completed housing register application form.
To make an application or referral, please contact us on 01827 899428, Monday to Friday 9am-5pm or email Supportedhousingteam@tamworth.gov.uk
What happens next?
When we have received your referral form, we will arrange to visit you to fill in a needs assessment together. This will help us look at what support you need and will determine how that can be best provided. If you need help in putting your point of view across, you can ask a friend or relative to be with you.
We will also ask you to submit a housing application register form if you haven’t got one with Tamworth Borough Council.
If after this discussion, you feel Supported Housing would be of benefit to you, your application will be placed on our waiting list. If for some reason we are unable to help you, we will explain to you why and how you can appeal against this decision.
You are offered a flat - What next?
You will have the opportunity to view the flat before deciding to accept it or not. Once accepted, an appointment for signing the Licence Agreement will be made. You will be asked to:
- Thoroughly read your Licence Agreement
- Sign the agreement
- Provide next of kin details
- Complete housing benefit forms if appropriate.
- Provide ALL necessary proofs of ID to support your claim
Moving into your new home
Our accommodation is not furnished.
Here are some items, which you will need to bring with you:
- Food
- Bed and bedding
- Crockery, cutlery & cooking utensils
- Furniture (including settee)
- White goods
- Carpets
- Towels
- Toiletries
- Cleaning materials
- Replacement light bulbs (60 watt only)
Your flat will be cleaned before you move in, after which it is your responsibility to maintain. There is a weekly rental charge plus a service charge, which covers communal cleaning and electricity. We will tell you what you will be expected to pay. You will be given a payment card, which can be used at any post office and retail outlets with Pay point facilities.
Supported Housing Team
Our team gives tenants advice and assistance to help them live independently. They are in contact through home visits. These will normally be on a weekly basis and last for about an hour; but these times do vary according to people’s individual need. These appointments are to help you work through the difficulties you face and plan how to tackle these. Staff also run group activities for everyone living at the scheme. Any information that you provide to the team will be treated with the strictest confidence and will only be passed on to your GP, family, Social Services or other emergency services, with your agreement. They will discuss this with you when you move in to your new home.
The team is available Monday to Friday from 8.45am to 5.00pm, although these times may vary dependent on service requirements.
The support staff are here to offer help and advice in any situation – you don’t need to wait for an emergency. If they are unable to help you, they will be able to refer you to someone who can. The team is also responsible for the scheme as a whole, including communal facilities and making sure that fire and safety regulations are observed.
Please note that Support staff do not:
- Give medicines to tenants. A doctor, nurse or relative must do this.
- Pay bills, or deal with any other personal finance for tenants.
- Provide domestic or personal care services, such as preparing meals or assisting with bathing or do your shopping for you
- Provide 24-hour assistance.
- Provide you with lifts to appointments
How long can I stay?
You will stay in the supported housing up to 2 years. This will allow us time to work together and help you through the crisis of becoming homeless. After this time we will help you to find secure accommodation. We offer a specialised service that equips people with the skills and abilities to successfully move on to manage their own successful, independent tenancies in the future. You will be expected to work with the team and make use of the support that is available, if not the place will be offered to someone else from our waiting list and you will be asked to leave the scheme. Equal opportunities Tamworth Borough Council has a policy of equal opportunities in employment and services provided. We want to make sure that we treat everyone fairly according to his or her needs and not discriminate against you on the basis of age, gender, race, colour, ethnic or national origin, disability or sexual orientation. We will resist and challenge racist and sexist comments or any other offensive comments or abuse or threatening behaviour.
How can I find out more?
If you are faced with homelessness and would like to know more, you can contact us on 01827 899428 Monday to Friday 9am – 5pm.
Outside of these hours you will be connected to an answer phone, please leave your contact details and we will contact you as soon as we possibly can. Email: Supportedhousingteam@tamworth.gov.uk