Housing Services
Non Accommodation Based Support (NABS) or Floating Support
Floating Support is a term for housing related support which is offered to an individual or household for a set period of time, often up to 24 months. Anglia Care Trust is part of the Consortium which is funded by Supporting People to provide Floating Support within Suffolk (except Waveney). The consortium is known as SNAP (Support and Advice Project) and is made up of 6 organisations that have vast amounts of housing related support experience. This support service must be accessed through referrals to CARA (Central Access & Referral Agency) these can be accessed on www.carasnap.org. If the referral is assessed as needing housing related floating support, then they will be assigned a support worker from one of the six consortium members.
Accommodation Based Support (Shared Housing)
Anglia Care Trust currently has 20 units within Ipswich and West Suffolk which is Shared Housing with accommodation based support in place. Within Shared Housing tenants would have their own room but would share kitchen, bathroom and living room facilities with up to three other tenants. It is temporary accommodation for anything up to 24 months, in which time service users are supported in moving on to their own permanent accommodation either through Social Landlords or within the private rented sector. Support is based on tenant needs and goals they want to achieve. Anglia Care Trust accommodation is for offenders and ex offenders. Our accommodation is accessed through formal referral arrangements.
In addition, we have recently been awarded a contract by Suffolk County Council in partnership with Ipswich Borough Council and Sanctuary Housing to run a semi-independent accomdation based service for young people leaving care. This 4 unit property in Ipswich is due to open during May and we hope to have photographs and updates from the opening very soon. The purpose of the project is to help young people leaving care to achieve independent living within 2 years, coaching and mentoring them to achieve the life skills they need and ensuring they have access and guidance to choices on futher education, training and employment.
Street Support
Street Support is a service Anglia Care Trust provides in accordance with Ipswich Borough Council’s crime reduction programme. The support team’s main aim is to reduce the negative impact street drinking has on the community, by listening, understanding, advocating and signposting service users to supporting agencies. The focus is on supporting street drinkers to deal with issues within their chaotic lifestyles.
This model has been adopted by Bedford Borough Council to support the delivery of their Homelessness Strategy.
Triangle Tenancies Scheme
We have been successful in attracting funding from the JP Getty Trust to set up a new project to support service users in accessing the privately rented accommodation market. By renting directly from private landlords, ACT will act as an agent between the landlord and tenant providing guarantees for both damage and rental income. The aim of this project is to enable service users who may not normally have access to the private rented market to access it, with ACT as a buffer between the landlord and tenant. We aim to have a minimum of 6 properties rented in the first year.
Money Advice Service
Money Advice offers a debt and welfare service that works on behalf of the service user to deal with the outstanding problems. The service is confidential and non-judgmental, treating all service users equally based on their need.
At the first appointment the problems are identified and the approach to a solution is agreed between the service user and the adviser.
Continuing support is then provided to deal with the outstanding issues that may include:
- Assessment of income – Employment, benefits, tax credits, DLA
- Priority debts – Rent, council tax, TV license, overpayments
- Non-Priority debts – Utilities, loans, credit cards, doorstep lenders, etc
As part of that support a financial statement is completed to identify the available income that can be used in agreeing regular payments to creditors. The financial statement is used as a budgeting exercise for the service user, encouraging them to live within their means to improve their chances of maintaining the payment schedule to creditors.
Employment Service
In order to help people in gaining employment assistance is provided with the following:
- Creating a CV
- Disclosure of offences
- Seeking training and job opportunities
Accessing the Services
Outside agencies and statutory bodies refer people to the services using the Anglia Care Trust Referral Form. The form is structured to provide information to Anglia Care Trust on the service user, any risks they impose and a general assessment of their need.
The referral forms can be sent to Anglia Care Trust by post, fax, email or taken by hand to the Anglia Care Trust office close to the Ipswich town centre.
The general public can access the services by email, phone or in person at the reception desk of Anglia Care Trust office. In these instances the service user need only leave their name and telephone number.