The Programme 1.1 The aim of the "SHOULD I STAY OR SHOULD I GO?" national Programme is to provide practical help, advice, information and support to older people who are living in poor and/or unsuitable housing. It is particularly aimed at older people who are finding their current accommodation difficult to manage and who are facing the possibility of moving home. 1.2 Through the provision of local specialist "housing options" advice and support services, the initiative aims to help older people find the best way to live independently for as long as possible. 1.3 The local services are targeted primarily (but not exclusively) at low income older people living in the private rented and owner occupied sectors. They can help individuals reach a decision about their possible future housing and then provide any necessary practical help to enable them put their decision into action. 1.4 If the older person decides that moving is their best option, the local service can help with finding suitable alternative accommodation, be this through arranging visits to special needs accommodation or help with the practicalities of buying and selling a home. If remaining in their existing home is the best option, help with current problems will be given. 1.5 The ultimate outcome of the local project will be better housed older people, relieved of the worry and stress which living in an unfit, unsuitable home brings, plus a reduced health risk for those who are living in a home ill adapted to their needs. Perhaps most importantly, the project will enable older people to take control of their housing situation and make their own decisions about their future, prior to a crisis when the matter could be taken out of their hands. 1.6 The main reasons for the development of this area of work is the demand from older people themselves, combined with a review of the implications of major policy changes in the housing, health and social care sectors. 2. POLICY CONTEXT 2.1 Central government policy for the owner occupied sector heralds an end to the current legal framework for repair grants. With a decline in the availability of grants to address urgent repair and adaptation problems, more older people may have to look at moving as a possible option. 2.2 Equity release is the cornerstone of new private sector housing policy. However, equity release has been extremely unpopular with older people to date. It will take a significant shift in attitudes, not to mention the creation of more attractive financial packages, before many older people in poor housing are willing and able to take this course of action. Good, independent advice about options is crucial if older people are to be enabled to make informed decisions. 3. THE NATIONAL PROGRAMME 3.1 Local demonstration "housing options" projects form the cornerstone of the national Programme. Specialist "housing options" advisers for older people located within different existing older people's services, including home improvement agencies, Age Concern projects and housing advice centre(s), will contribute evidence for evaluation. In order to compare how widely applicable this service model is, a range of locations has been selected. At least one project is located in an area with a high proportion of black and minority ethnic elders to look at the specific issues involved in developing such work with older people from these communities. Other projects are in rural areas, town and urban settings. Each will help stimulate service developments and provide lessons for good practice. 3.2 The role of the national Programme is to develop training, information and support services to back up the local projects and to co-ordinate, monitor and evaluate the development of the services. Care & Repair England is also responsible for developing training and specialist support for older volunteers linked to each local scheme. The national Programme is developing and promoting information packages to assist other bodies who wish to consider setting up such services. 4. THE NEED 4.1 Whilst the majority of older people wish to remain in their existing homes for as long as possible, and the home improvement agencies which Care & Repair England has promoted and developed for the past 15 years help very many poorly housed older people achieve this aim, for some people their existing home can become more of a hindrance to independence than a help. 4.2 In some cases, where a house is in a very poor state of repair, the upheaval of major renovation can be too much for a person to cope with, even assuming that the financial costs of such work can be met. Grants for helping poor householders pay for essential repairs are at the discretion of the local authority and availability is highly variable. 4.3 Increasingly, older people may need or wish to think about alternatives to 'staying put'. But this can be very daunting, particularly if a person lives alone with few or no family and friends around to help. In such cases even finding out about possible alternatives, let alone organising a move, is a major obstacle to making a positive change. 4.4 In 2000 Care & Repair England published the outcome of a series of meetings of older people around England in the report 'Learning to Listen'. Older people came along to these meetings to discuss general housing issues, as well as talking about their experience of using home improvement agency services. 4.5 The housing problems of older people from Asian communities emerged as particularly acute; many were living in the worst housing yet were the least likely to access existing services. 4.6 One of the most outstanding messages to emerge from the events was the need for someone who is well informed but impartial to talk to about housing decisions in old age. This need was voiced yet again at our Warwickshire housing event for older people (Keeping your Own Front Door Day) and the need for improved housing advice has been reflected in research by Age Concern England and hact. 4.7 Various initiatives have been undertaken to provide people with information to assist with making a decision about moving home. These include the housing options for older people (HOOP) questionnaire and Elderly Accommodation Counsel and Counsel & Care's information services for people contemplating moves to special needs accommodation / residential care. 4.8 However, for many older people, having someone who is impartial to talk through pros and cons of possible housing alternatives and help to sort out practicalities is of even greater importance than obtaining factual information. The only local front line project to try to tackle this issue in recent years is the Bristol Care & Repair Move On Advice Service, which has proved to be extremely popular, with over 350 people helped since its inception and demand continuing to grow. 4.9 The Programme has been developed in partnership with the Elderly Accommodation Counsel, Age Concern England and Help the Aged. All are active partners in this initiative based on their particular experience as providers of information services. 4.10 The Elderly Accommodation Counsel provides telephone advice and information to thousands of older people each year. They are particularly concerned about the lack of local back up and support to assist older people who need more personal time with an adviser and practical help in order to address their housing problems. The Elderly Accommodation Counsel is a key provider of support to the Programme. 5. OUTPUT SUMMARY 5.1 Through the work of the "SHOULD I STAY OR SHOULD I GO?" national work, at the end of the two year Programme there will be:
6. NATIONAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE 6.1 The "SHOULD I STAY OR SHOULD I GO?" Programme is supported by a range of funders including hact (Housing Associations Charitable Trust), the Housing Corporation, and the Rank Foundation. Other contributors to national and local work include the Countryside Agency and Help The Aged. 6.2 A National Advisory Committee provides expertise and guidance for the Programme. Committee Membership includes a representative from Age Concern England, Anchor Trust, Bristol Care & Repair, Counsel and Care, the Countryside Agency, the Department of Health, the Elderly Accommodation Counsel, Help the Aged, HoDIS (National Disabled Persons Housing Service Ltd.), the Local Government Association, the National Housing Federation, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, and the Rank Foundation. 6.3 The National Advisory Committee was established to utilise national expertise in the design and operation of the "SHOULD I STAY OR SHOULD GO?" Programme. It reviews the performance of the Programme thereby increasing the accountability of the Programme to the wider community. 6.4 The Committee provides a forum for debate about policy and practice affecting the work of the Programme. It also aims to improve liaison between partner organisations and to thereby facilitate appropriate internal policy and practice initiatives within partner organisations on issues arising from the Programme.
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