Housing related support services

Supporting People can fund housing-related support services for people who need help to live independently.

Some people feel that they need extra support for a number of reasons. These could be because of your age, any disability, sensory or hearing impairment, poor physical or mental health, or because of a drink or drug problem. Or perhaps you have experienced domestic violence.

The Cambridgeshire Supporting People Team funds a range of organisations to deliver housing related support services for vulnerable people who need help to live independently within their communities.

These services deliver high quality housing related support services across the county. Information about the services is available from these district council offices:

• Cambridge City Council: 01223 457000
• East Cambridgeshire District Council: 01353 665555
• Fenland District Council: 01354 654321
• Huntingdonshire District Council: 01480 388388
• South Cambridgeshire District Council: 08450 450500

Further contact details for the district councils can be found on the Supporting People leaflet below.

What services are available?

You may for example, have a housing related support need because of your age, disability, mental health or vulnerability, you may have experienced domestic violence, be leaving care, or at risk of homelessness or offending.

A housing related support service can, for example, help prevent people losing their home by enabling them to stay safe and secure. This includes offering support with dealing with rent arrears, budgeting, life skills, accessing training, education and employment.

Support services can also help with independent living skills, for example accessing benefits and local community resources including health and leisure services.

Examples of the type of support services include

• assisting people with the security of their homes
• assisting people with personal safety in their homes
• enabling people to undertake minor repairs and organise the servicing of their own equipment
• life skills training, such as support to get domestic skills
• helping people with social skills, such as motivational support and preventing loneliness and social isolation
• assisting people with dealing with other people such as landlords, other tenants and a range of professionals
• assisting people with personal budgeting
• supporting people with neighbour disputes
• support with moving to more independent accommodation

A helpful leaflet telling you more about supporting people is below.

Supporting people leaflet

 

Supporting people leaflet in easy read

 

Who provides them?

These services are overseen by the Supporting People team who work with local organisations who can assess your needs and provide the right support for you.

In short-term services of less than two years, you do not have to pay for your housing related support services. If you need longer-term support and you do not get housing benefit or council tax benefit, you may have to pay towards this support.

Home Improvement Agencies

Home Improvement Agencies (HIA) help older people, people with disabilities, and people with a low income, obtain much-needed repairs and adaptations to their home.

They also provide a range of other services to meet local needs, and may be able to offer advice on energy efficiency, security, benefits, health, housing options, and handyperson services. Contact the agency in your area to find out what help and support is available to you. 

• Cambridgeshire HIA (covers Cambridge City, Huntingdonshire and South Cambridgeshire): 01954 713347 or 01954 713330 
• East Cambridgeshire: 01353 723777
• Fenland: 01354 651499

Floating Support service

 A countywide Floating Support service for a range of clients, aged 16-64, who need housing-related support to help them with tasks such as:

• preventing them losing a tenancy;
•  moving to more suitable accommodation;
• accessing other services, ie daytime activities;
• support to access the community;
• help with other general housing-related matters.

The services do not offer care but cover housing-related support and preventative work.

An assessment will be carried out for prospective clients to decide the level of support needed.  It may be time-limited or could be longer-term - up to 2 years - to help maintain someone in their own home.

Contact details of providers can be found on the factsheet below.

  Floating Support Services - contact and referral information

Contact us

To discuss any of the services above contact the Supporting People Team.
Address: PO Box CC1311, Castle Court, Castle Park, Cambridge CB3 0AP
Phone: 01223 507134
Email: supporting.people@cambridgeshire.gov.uk