Supporting People Information

If you live in Blaenau Gwent and are aged over 16 years old and are struggling to keep your home, at risk of losing your job, need to move or need help managing your finances – the Supporting People Team could offer you support through the Housing Support Grant Funded Services.

The aim of the Housing Support Grant is to prevent homelessness and help people develop and maintain the necessary skills to live as independently and self-sufficiently as possible. There is no cost for these services. 

Anything that could result in you losing your home we can help you with:  

• Do you have to pay extra to stay in your home?  Are you now in arrears due to this?
• Do you need help contacting people, your landlord or other agencies?
• Do you have difficulties getting your landlord to carry out repairs?
• Do you need help to find employment, education or voluntary placements?
• Are you unsure of the income you’re entitled to?  Do you owe anybody money?
• Do you find it difficult to fill in forms or read letters?
• Do you know your rights as a tenant?  

If you think that you or someone you know could benefit from support in these and other areas, please contact the Supporting People Team (contact information below). 

What is the Housing Support Grant?

The Housing Support Grant 2019 (formerly Supporting People Programme) was introduced plan, commission and monitor housing related support services for vulnerable people.  Housing related support can be defined as ‘support services provided to any person for the purpose of developing that person’s capacity to live independently in accommodation or sustaining their capacity to maintain their home’. 

Examples of housing related support includes:   

• Help in setting up and maintaining a home.
• Help to prevent evictions and prevent homelessness.
• Help to access other services, support and social networks.
• Help to access education, training and employment.
• Assistance to claim benefits/maximise income.
• Help with budgeting/managing money.
• Help with housing problems.
• Help with personal/community safety and security, e.g. community alarms, anti-social/offending behaviour.
• Help to increase independence.
• Help with practical living and parenting skills. 

Help cannot however be provided with personal care.  If you require these services you should contact the Social Services Department. 

Types of Supporting People Services

The types of services available vary greatly; please see the following list of examples of Supporting People services:    

• Floating Support – a support worker visits a person in his or her own home to support them to maintain/sustain their tenancy/home.  Support is provided for a period of time (dependent on an individual’s needs).
• Homelessness Hostel – provides interim/temporary accommodation for people who are homeless.
• Sheltered housing schemes – sheltered housing for people who are usually over 55 years old where a scheme manager has regular contact with tenants and an alarm service provides 24 hour cover in emergencies.
• 24 hour supported housing – accommodation where staff are on site 24 hours a day.  Often a shared property with communal areas such as a lounge and a kitchen but it may also be self-contained properties with staff accommodation in the vicinity.
• Supported housing (not 24 hour) – as above but staff are not on site 24 hours a day.
• Domestic Abuse Refuge – emergency/temporary accommodation for men or women who are fleeing domestic abuse.

Who provides the Support?

There are a number and variety of providers of Supporting People services operating in Blaenau Gwent, some of these are quite small providers who may be supporting 2 or 3 people, others are larger providers who may be assisting 20 or more people at any one time.  Providers of services include housing associations, private organisations, third sector organisations and the Social Services Department of Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council.  Please see the Supporting People Service Directory for further information.

For more information and advice or to request any of the forms listed below please contact the Supporting People team.

• Floating Support Leaflet 
• Supporting People Service Directory 
• Floating Support Referral Form