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Community based services

Housing

A home should provide a safe foundation for a good life. Specialist housing enables many people who have a need for care and support to stay independent in their local community.

In Norfolk, we have two types of specialist housing:

By working with registered social landlords (RSL) and care providers, we can actively shape the specialist housing market for Norfolk, giving people choice when it comes to deciding where to live.

For further information,  download our specialist housing position statement for developers and landlords (PDF) [1MB].

Norfolk needs modern, specialist housing for adults of all ages with care and support needs. We launched two specialist housing capital programmes to facilitate new developments:

  • £29m on independent living, which began in January 2019
  • £18m on supported living, which began in April 2021

The two programmes are working with a range of RSLs to facilitate the development of further specialist housing in Norfolk over the next 5 years.

Our commitment

Our commitment as a Council is to:

  • Deliver 1,135 units of affordable rent independent living and 181 units of affordable rent supported living
  • Prioritise people's independence and wellbeing, focussing on the right home at the right time within the right community
  • Ensure people feel safe and comfortable in their own home, which is accessible and equipped with appropriate aids, adaptations, and technology

Challenges

  • Identifying RSLs who are keen to develop specialist housing in the areas of greatest need and for particular cohorts, such as supported living for mental health
  • Balancing the pace of new housing developments against urgent needs (particularly for supported living)
  • Ensuring there is a clear care commissioning framework for each specialism that sets out specifications that are attractive to the market
  • We currently have two models of care for older people's housing that we commission, in addition to other housing options for people in Norfolk, such as sheltered housing. Our focus on new schemes is to invest in the independent living model. In addition, we also have 17 existing housing with care (HwC) schemes, delivered through Norse care, GP Radis and Norfolk first support (NFS). We will be working with our care providers and landlords for HwC to review the current model and ensure it is fit for purpose as part of the housing options in Norfolk.
  • One of the challenges is the complex customer journey for people who may want to explore whether independent living or HwC is right for them. Working with landlords and care providers, we are investing in promotional material and new support officers to help people from their initial interest to moving into a scheme.

Key data

Details of the 2022-2023 spend and the number of individual people that have accessed independent living, supported living, and shared lives services during 2022-2023:

Housing market analysis

Services for older people (aged 65 years old and above)

Our spend on independent living services in 2022-2023:

  • £14.7m

Number of people accessing our commissioned independent living services in 2022-2023:

  • 452

Number of Norfolk County Council (NCC) accredited locations (buildings) (where the location is registered by March 2023):

Number of NCC accredited places (beds) (where the location is registered by March 2023):

  • Housing with care and independent living for older people: 856
  • Supported living for older people: 117
  • Shared lives (adult fostering) for older people: 0

Percentage of care quality commission (CQC) registered and inspected locations rated 'good' or 'outstanding' by CQC or provider assessment and market management solution (PAMMS) as at 1 March 2023:

  • Housing with care and independent living for older people: 88.9%
  • Supported living for older people: 66.7%
  • Shared lives (adult fostering) for older people: 100%

 

Services for adults with learning disabilities and/or autism

Spend on independent living services in 2022-2023:

  • £40.4m

Number of people accessing our commissioned independent living services in 2022-2023:

  • 807

Number of Norfolk County Council (NCC) accredited locations (buildings) (where the location is registered by March 2023):

Number of NCC accredited places (beds) (where the location is registered by March 2023):

  • Housing with care and independent living for adults with learning disabilities and/or autism: 150
  • Supported living for adults with learning disabilities and/or autism: 614
  • Shared lives (adult fostering) for adults with learning disabilities and/or autism: 0

Percentage of care quality commission (CQC) registered and inspected locations rated 'good' or 'outstanding' by CQC or provider assessment and market management solution (PAMMS) as at 1 March 2023:

  • Housing with care and independent living for adults with learning disabilities and/or autism: 100%
  • Supported living for adults with learning disabilities and/or autism: 68.2%
  • Shared lives (adult fostering) for adults with learning disabilities and/or autism: 100%

 

Services for adults with physical disabilities

Spend on independent living services in 2022-2023:

  • £1m

Number of people accessing our commissioned independent living services in 2022-2023:

  • 73

Number of Norfolk County Council (NCC) accredited locations (buildings) (where the location is registered by March 2023):

Number of NCC accredited places (beds) (where the location is registered by March 2023):

  • Housing with care and independent living for adults with physical disabilities: 506
  • Supported living for adults with physical disabilities: 82
  • Shared lives (adult fostering) for adults with physical disabilities: 0

Percentage of care quality commission (CQC)registered and inspected locations rated 'good' or 'outstanding' by CQC or provider assessment and market management solution (PAMMS) as at 1 March 2023:

  • Housing with care and independent living for adults with physical disabilities: 83.3%
  • Supported living for adults with physical disabilities: 70%
  • Shared lives (adult fostering) for adults with physical disabilities: 100%

 

Services for adults with mental health conditions

Spend on independent living services in 2022-2023:

  • £2.8m

Number of people accessing our commissioned independent living services in 2022-2023:

  • 201

Number of Norfolk County Council (NCC) accredited locations (buildings) (where the location is registered by March 2023):

Number of NCC accredited places (beds) (where the location is registered by March 2023):

  • Housing with care and independent living for adults with mental health conditions: 404
  • Supported living for adults with mental health conditions: 241
  • Shared lives (adult fostering) for adults with mental health conditions: 0

Percentage of care quality commission (CQC) registered and inspected locations rated 'good' or 'outstanding' by CQC or provider assessment and market management solution (PAMMS) as at 1 March 2023:

  • Housing with care and independent living for adults with mental health conditions: 77.8%
  • Supported living for adults with mental health conditions: 59.1%
  • Shared lives (adult fostering) for adults with mental health conditions: 100%

 

Independent living

Supply and demand

By 2041, the number of people living in Norfolk aged over 75 will have increased by 42%. Norfolk's supply of independent living is well below England's average and is far behind other comparable counties. In fact, Norfolk is 40th out of 45 in the provision of independent living in all local authorities.

The programme is committed to helping develop a further 1,135 units of independent living. Since the programme launched:

  • Two new schemes are now open (Fakenham and Acle), providing 124 new homes
  • A 91-apartment scheme in Harleston has been approved and will start on site in 2024
  • Four further schemes are in the planning process
  • A healthy pipeline of schemes is being progressed
  • We tendered for new care provision for the Old Maltings and Saxon House and have awarded the contracts
  • We worked with NHS partners, registered social landlords, Norse care, and other stakeholders to implement a community step-down model to support system pressures over the winter. This initiative involved the use of up to 25 housing with care flats as a short-term option to enable people to return to the community following a hospital episode while their long-term care and support was arranged.

Messages to the market

  • We will continue to work with landlords and care providers of our existing housing with care schemes to continue to develop and evolve the service offer
  • We have developed an independent living and housing with care provider framework to give care providers a consistent and clearly communicated offer, which provides opportunities to become providers of care at new independent living schemes (subject to development constraints)
  • We welcome discussions with registered social landlords around new independent living opportunities in all market towns in Norfolk, and we have a priority need in Thetford

Supported living

Supply and demand

Far too many people with physical disabilities, learning disabilities, people with autism, or poor mental health in Norfolk are being housed unnecessarily in residential care as the only safe housing option.

Since the programme launched, we have refined the demand for supported living in Norfolk to reflect exactly what specialist care commissioners and operational teams know is needed.

The analysis shows we need around 300 units of different types of supported living in Norfolk across learning disabilities, autism, and mental health. So far, we have seen:

  • 14 high specification transforming care partnerships (TCP)homes purchased and adapted
  • A further seven high specification properties in active search
  • A new learning disability enablement scheme opened
  • An 18-home community housing scheme in planning
  • A nine-home mental health scheme in pre-planning
  • A mental health provider has recently added seven step-down flats to its provision in Norwich
  • A healthy pipeline of opportunities being progressed

Messages to the market

  • There is a priority need for landlords and land opportunities for 12 units of housing for people with mental health needs in both Norwich and Kings Lynn
  • There is a need for a cluster of 6-8 units of specialist bungalows designed for people with autism in the Norwich area
  • There is a need for more general needs housing in clusters to house individuals who can move on from enablement services but still have a need for floating care and support. These would be in locations that support our enablement schemes in North Walsham, Norwich, Kings Lynn, Attleborough, and Great Yarmouth.
  • There are specific care frameworks under the supported living care framework for autism, learning disabilities, mental health, and transforming care partnership

Specialist retirement housing

The Three Dragons and Opinion Research Services report into specialist retirement housing highlighted the following need across Norfolk:

  • In 2020, it was estimated that there was an unmet need for 2,809 units of extra care housing and 3,203 units of sheltered housing. By 2041, it is estimated that these figures will have risen to 5,130 and 9,644, respectively.
  • By 2041, each of the rural districts will need more than 750 extra care units and more than 1,000 sheltered units. Norwich will require 285 extra care units and potentially up to 415 sheltered units if current tenure preference is taken into account.

Homelessness

For homelessness, we have and will continue to:

  • Actively engage with the Norfolk strategic housing partnership, advocating a partnership approach to prevention and homelessness solutions
  • Work strategically with partners to deliver appropriate housing and support for those experiencing or at risk of homelessness
  • Work with theNorfolk office of data and analytics to develop a data dashboard that will enable quarterly reporting, ensuring predictive analysis leading to service improvements
  • Review services that prevent homelessness and rough sleeping, including the social impact bond
  • Strengthen the partnership approach to commissioning services for those who are socially excluded, including those who are experiencing challenges with their mental health

Disabled facilities grants

For disabled facilities grants (DFGs), we will:

  • Review the operational and strategic approach to DFGs so they better meet demand and support people to stay in their own homes
  • Revise performance reporting for DFGs so that it is meaningfully represented within the better care fund
  • Performance managed contracts for these services, undertaking regular reviews to ensure positive outcomes, value for money, and support strategic planning
  • Work with districts to understand how they currently promote DFGs and look for improvements
  • Work together to better align DFGs and community equipment

Feedback

We want people receiving our services to say:

  • "I live in a home that is accessible and designed so that I can be as independent as possible"
  • "I have a place I can call home, not just a 'bed' or somewhere that provides me with care"

What people have told us about moving into independent living or supported living schemes:

  • A woman made new friends at the independent living on-site hair salon and is now considering moving in after chatting with other residents over a weekly coffee in the lounge
  • A man has moved into his new independent living home after losing independence and is so pleased he could bring his dog
  • A man moving into his own home through the TCP was supported by staff to walk into town for a coffee, something he had not done before
  • People with learning disabilities are excited to start their employment journey near to their new enablement home
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