'Nobody's Listening - The impact of floating support on older people living in sheltered housing' has recently been published by Help the Aged, based on research by the Housing & Support Partnership.

It looks at the changes to the way warden services have been delivered since the introduction of Supporting People (SP) funding in 2003, from the point of view of older people, sheltered housing providers and Supporting People Administering Authorities. There has been a steady move from resident wardens for specific housing schemes, where people move to recive support, to floating support services, provided by non-resident staff to older people regardless of where they live. The different standpoints and the range of new models of support provision come through very clearly.

The report identified the need for a strategic Government review of sheltered housing that involves the residents. Help the Aged made eight key recommendations, including the view that the Government should seriously consider taking sheltered housing out of SP, and that resident wardens should be retained if alternative arrangements are unsatisfactory for tenants living in existing schemes.

The report touched on, but did not consider in detail, two additional points which have been raised with EAC's Advice Line (020 7820 1343). One issue is the impact to existing sheltered tenants of changed allocation policies, as older people choose not to move and to have floating support in their current home, and younger people, identified as vulnerable, are allocated flats in sheltered schemes. The second issue is the risk to older people who decline to receive services that they need where there is direct charging.

The full report can be downloaded at http://policy.helptheaged.org.uk/NR/rdonlyres/652BC405-AA9E-49CB-B7FE-E16A7BOD3A99/0/nobodys_listening