Supported housing providers have welcomed long-awaited government guidelines that clarify which institutions should register as care homes.
The guidance means that very sheltered housing developments and people receiving care in their own homes will not have to register as care homes.

Without this clarification, tenants feared they would lose their right to transitional housing benefit.

The guidelines have come at a crucial time as councils must issue contracts to care providers in advance of the introduction of Supporting People next year. Councils hope to have the majority of these signed by November.

Bidders have been keen for the government to define more clearly the role of care providers, so they can decide whether or not they need to register as a care home. This will ultimately affect the size of the Supporting People pot available to local authorities.

John Belcher, chief executive of supported housing provider Anchor Trust, said: "Government recognition that developments like ours, which integrate housing with care, are not the same as care homes, is a positive step forward. This should give local authorities more confidence in entering into partnerships with providers like Anchor and encourage the creation of more integrated developments."

National Housing Federation policy officer Sue Ramsden said: "We are pleased that, having worked closely with the Department of Health, the government has recognised the importance of defining what is someone's own home."

Source

Housing Today