The Supporting People programme helps vulnerable people to live independently in the community. The programme pays for housing related support to help someone to manage their home. It aims to improve people's quality of life and provide support to prevent problems that can lead to hospitalisation, institutional care or homelessness.

The Supporting People Team do not provide the support themselves, they allocate funding to service providers to do this.

The housing support providers might help people:

• setting up and maintaining their home
• developing domestic and life skills
• with advice and advocacy in connection with housing or tenancy matters
• with general counselling and emotional support.

The housing related support is distinct from personal care but complements health and social care services.

In Kirklees over 6500 people each year are supported through the Supporting People programme. The vulnerable groups helped by the programme include:

• homeless people and people at risk of eviction
• people with mental health problems
• vulnerable young people
• people with learning disabilities
• people with physical disabilities
• older people with support needs
• people with substance misuse problems

The people that the Supporting People programme helps is not limited to this list.

The Supporting People Team in Kirklees get £10.5 million a year which pays for 38 providers to deliver over 100 services. The Government programme brought together funding that had previously been provided through a number of different routes. The idea was to improve co-ordination.

The programme is delivered in partnership with health, probation and service provider organisations. These organisations include specialist support agencies, housing associations which offer support services, and some of the council's own in-house services.

The table below provides the submission and payment dates scheduled for 2008-2009. We have to check and validate some of the information supplied with housing benefit data before payments can be adjusted. We do our best to make sure all adjustments are dealt with as quickly as possible.

For more information, or any queries regarding payments please contact the Supporting People Team on 01484 221096.

Payment timetable 2008-2009

Latest submission date	Payment date
16 March 2009	30 March 2009
13 April 2009	27 April 2009
11 May 2009	25 May 2009
8 June 2009	22 June 2009
06 July 2009	20 July 2009
03 August 2009	17 August 2009
31 August 2009	14 September 2009
28 September 2009	12 October 2009
26 October 2009	09 November 2008
23 November 2009	07 December 2009
14 December 2009	04 January 2009
18 January 2010	01 February 2010
15 February 2010	01 March 2010
15 March 2010	29 March 2010

The dates below show when Key Performance Indicators (KPI) workbooks must be submitted. Failure to submit the workbook(s) by the deadline will result in a Default Notice being issued. If your service is issued with more than two default notices the contract could be terminated, so please make sure you meet the deadlines. Any queries please contact the team.

Workbook return deadline dates

Quarter	Period covered	Weeks in quarter	Deadline for return
4. 2008/09	05/01/09 to 05/04/09	13 weeks	24/04/2009
1. 2009/10	06/04/09 to 05/07/09	13 Weeks	24/07/2009
2. 2009/10	06/07/09 to 04/10/09	13 Weeks	23/10/2009
3. 2009/10	05/10/09 to 03/01/10	13 Weeks	22/01/2010
4. 2009/10	04/01/10 to 04/04/10	13 Weeks	23/04/2010

As a service provider do you have Client Record Forms or Outcome Forms to send for this time period? If so, please submit any forms as soon as possible.

• Client Record forms: April 1st 2008 - 31st March 2009
• Outcome Forms Short Term: April 1st 2008 - 31st March 2009
• Outcome forms Long term: April 1st 2008 - 31st March 2009

A Client Record Form must be completed for each new client who enters a service funded by Supporting People. This is a requirement of your Supporting People contract. However, the following services remain exempt from the Client Records:

• sheltered housing
• very sheltered housing
• almshouses
• peripatetic warden services
• leasehold scheme
• home improvement agency
• community alarm

A Short Term Outcome Form must be completed for each client who leaves a short term service funded by Supporting People.

A Long Term Outcome Form must be completed for each client receiving Supporting People funded services within your sample once a year at the time of support plan review.

All documentation is available on the website: www.spclientrecord.org.uk.

Contact details:
CHR - SP Client Record Office
The Observatory
University of St Andrews
Buchanan Gardens
St Andrews
Fife KY16 9LZ

Email helpdesk: sphelp@standrews.ac.uk
Tel: 01334 461765
Fax: 01334 463920

There is a five year Strategy for the Supporting People programme in Kirklees. The strategy sets out the priorities for planning the programme and developing new services.

The main priority areas for the next 5 years are homelessness, mental health, drug and alcohol misuse and physical and sensory impairment.

• Kirklees Supporting People Strategy (PDF 434kb)

• Kirklees Supporting People Newsletter, April 2008 (PDF 97kb)
• Kirklees Supporting People Newsletter, March 2007 (PDF 155kb)
• Kirklees Supporting People Newsletter, June 2006 (PDF 262kb)

Services which are funded through Supporting People are provided by a range of organisations; these include housing associations, voluntary and community organisations along with statutory agencies.

• Accreditation Policy (PDF 76kb)
• Contract Management Policy (PDF 579kb)
• Kirklees Supporting People Eligibility Criteria February 2007 (PDF 112kb)
• Guidance for workbooks (PDF 201kb)

Kirklees Good Practice Guide

• Guide 1 - Support Planning (PDF 503Kb)
• Guide 2 - Equality & Diversity Level A (PDF 67kb)
• Guide 2 - Equality & Diversity Level B (PDF 88kb)
• Guide 2 - Equality & Diversity Level C (PDF 82kb)
• Guide 3 - Barriers to Accessing Support Services (PDF 327Kb)

Quality Assessment Framework (QAF)

• Quality Assessment Framework - Annual Self Assessment (PDF 376kb)
• Quality Assessment Framework 6 Core Objectives (PDF 334kb)
• Quality Assessment Framework Lite (PDF 241kb)

We have also provided some self assessment guidance documents which detail evidence required to achieve level B of the QAF. Contact the Supporting People Team for further details.




The Supporting People Team have produced a directory of providers funded by the programme.

• Supporting People Directory (PDF 950kb)

Alternatively, for more information call:

Kirklees Supporting People Team
Strategic Housing options
Fourth Floor
Oldgate House
Huddersfield
HD1 6QW


Tel: 01484 221271
Email: supporting.people@kirklees.gov.uk

Sitra is an umbrella organisation committed to raising standards in the housing, care and support sector.

To find out more visit their website at:
www.sitra.org