Your County - Putting Kent First

Kent 4 star Council

Contacts

Supporting People Team
Kent County Council
Room 4.02 Sessions House
County Hall
Maidstone
Kent ME14 1XQ

Telephone icon08458 247 100

fax: 01622 694746

Image oficonemail supporting.people @kent.gov.uk

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Who is eligible for support

Supporting People aims to help a wide range of adults who may be vulnerable.

We help people who:

  • have a learning or physical and/or a sensory disability
  • are homeless or at risk of losing your home
  • are a young person leaving care
  • are a teenage parent
  • are an older person
  • are a woman or man fleeing domestic abuse
  • have mental health problems
  • have drug or alcohol problems
  • have recently come out of prison or are due to be released
  • are a traveller
  • are living with HIV/AIDS
  • are a refugee with leave to stay in the country.

To refer someone for support please fill in a referral form and email it to supporting people.

In Kent we provide assistance in three main ways:

Accommodation-based services

These deliver supported housing which provides a stable environment and extra help for vulnerable people. Residents and support staff are often based within the same building. Support is linked to the building where the service is delivered: this means the service user has to live at a certain address to receive the support. Councils, Housing Associations, or voluntary organisations can provide accommodation-based services.

Floating Support

This is a free service that provides housing-related support to vulnerable people for short periods of time from a few weeks up to two years, hence the term "floating". Floating Support can help people wherever they live, whether they are tenants, living in temporary housing or homeowners. The aim is to help people who are in difficulties to remain independent and sort out the difficulties they are having. Floating support is available for single people, couples or those who are part of a family group. For more information about Floating Support read our leaflet.

Home Improvement Agencies

These are 'not for profit' organisations. Home Improvement Agencies' main function is to assist vulnerable homeowners or private sector tenants, who are older, disabled or on a low income to remain in their own home by carrying out necessary repairs, maintenance work or adapting their property.

Eligibility Criteria

The programme is designed to deliver support to vulnerable service users in order to maintain their housing situation. It aims to enable these vulnerable people to live more independently within their own community. The programme offers housing related support and help, to prevent those problems that can often lead to a person being hospitalised, homeless, or placed into institutional care. We can also help with the transition in to independent living for anyone leaving an institutional environment.

To make sure that the programme delivers housing related support we have defined it as:

"Lower to medium levels of practical support that do not amount to personal or domiciliary care, which enables vulnerable people to develop or maintain their capacity to live independently, regardless of tenure or whether in permanent/temporary accommodation or of no fixed abode."

Housing related support can offer help with many housing related matters these include:

  • Life and social skills
  • Managing debts, budgeting and applying for benefits
  • Setting up home and resettlement support
  • Understanding tenancy agreements
  • Staying safe at home
  • Getting on with neighbours
  • Taking up day time activities, training, education and employment within the community
  • Dealing with other agencies such as health and advice services.

Supporting People cannot provide support with:

  • Personal care, like washing and dressing
  • Healthcare and medication
  • Specialist Counselling or treatment
  • Childcare
  • Supporting people to go on holiday
  • Property maintenance or removals.


For more information on our eligibility policy please read our booklet.

Copyright Kent County Council 2009