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Housing

Introduction

Haringey contains areas of relative affluence and concentrations of significant deprivation, and we face exciting opportunities and serious challenges in meeting our aspirations for housing. The borough has high levels of need for units of affordable accommodation, and many existing homes do not meet required standards of decency, or are situated in run-down areas. At the same time the borough contains highly successful neighbourhoods, and there are significant regeneration schemes underway.

Housing has a significant role to play in improving quality of life and contributes to a wide range of outcomes. Poor quality housing can have significant negative effects on people’s physical health. It can be the cause of or contribute to many health problems including respiratory illness, hypothermia, heart attacks and strokes. These negative effects are most keenly felt by older vulnerable people, on top of which symptoms of arthritis are exacerbated by excess cold and damp and strength and dexterity decrease, increasing the risk of falls.

The associated stress and anxiety that often goes hand-in-hand with unsuitable housing can also lead to feelings of helplessness and increases the risk of depression and other mental health conditions. Cold or overcrowded households, where it becomes difficult to do homework, can have significant negative effects on the educational development of children and their long-term opportunities for sustained employment. Even when housing is suitable the upheaval and uncertainty that goes hand in hand with becoming homeless or at risk of losing a home can cause or exacerbate mental health problems.

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Key issues and gaps

Homelessness

Homelessness is a complex problem that can have a long-term negative impact on those affected by it. It is both the cause and consequence of many other problems, such as family and relationship breakdown, domestic violence, mental ill-health, substance misuse, the loss of employment, and debt.

House prices and affordability

In London, housing is becoming increasingly unaffordable and home ownership is not an option for the majority of forming households; subsequently there are higher proportions of renters than elsewhere in England. Between 2004 and 2010, Haringey remained above London and England in terms of the house price to income ratio, albeit it has broadly followed the same trend. In 2004, house prices were 6.8 times the earnings in Haringey, compared to 6 times in London and 4 times in England. In 2010, house prices were 10.5 times the earnings in Haringey, compared to 9 times in London and 6.7 times in England .

Based on the 2001 Census data, we know that just over 50% of households in the borough are living in rented accommodation (social and private rented). This is higher than London (40.5%) and England (27.9%).

Changes to the welfare benefit system

Throughout 2012, changes to the Local Housing Allowance (LHA) (see footnote 1) will have an impact on claimants. Previously LHA rates were calculated using ‘median’ private sector rents, meaning that five in every ten properties would generally be affordable to people on housing benefit. However, the rate now used to calculate LHA is based on the 30th percentile, meaning that only three in ten properties are generally affordable to claimants. The LHA was also capped at the four bedroom rate and the age at which single households are able to claim the one bedroom rate rather than a studio rate was raised from 25 to 35.

Amongst other reforms the Welfare Reform Act 2012 will bring together a number of existing benefits (including Housing Benefit) under a ‘Universal Credit’ which will be capped at £500 per week. The cap will hit larger families hardest, some of whom will be unable to afford anything other than social housing. Consequently families may be forced either to live in overcrowded and unsuitable accommodation or to move to cheaper areas away from schools and family.

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Who is at risk and why

Households in receipt of housing benefit

In Haringey, based on 2011 data, just under half of all LHA claimants (4,367) will be negatively affected in some way by the changes to the LHA. A significant number may have to move to cheaper accommodation of their own accord or end up being helped in some way by the council.

We will see the impact of the changes on existing claimants throughout 2012 as the LHA rates start to change. The majority of those negatively affected live in the east of the borough with 83.4% being negatively affected by over £5 per week. There are particularly high concentrations around Seven Sisters and Bruce Grove (310 each), Northumberland Park (279) and Tottenham Hale (253).

lha impact map

Fig 1.1 - Impact of changes to the Local Housing Allowance thresholds in Haringey - larger scale (PNG 261KB)

There may be a significant negative impact on the children of those families moving as a result of the changes, with some having to change schools as a result.

The age at which single claimants become entitled to the one bedroom rate is set to rise from 25 to 35 from January 2012. Those claimants that currently fall within this age range living in one bedroom accommodation face a cut in benefits and will have to move to shared accommodation if they cannot make up the shortfall through other means. According to information released by the Department of Work & Pensions, of all London boroughs Haringey will have the highest number of single people affected by this change with 820 claimants affected (see footnote 2). Recent analysis of Haringey’s Housing Benefit data shows that 846 claimants will be affected, 88% of which stand to lose over £50 per week in Housing Benefit.

According to the DWP, a total of 1,500 households in Haringey will be affected by the Overall Benefits Cap; 600 of these will lose more than £100 per week.

The combined effect of the changes may lead to;

  • Increased homelessness
  • Increased overcrowding
  • Increased child poverty
  • Outward migration from inner London boroughs
  • Increased reliance on out-of-borough temporary accommodation
  • The private rented sector in some boroughs becoming blocked due to high rents
  • Unauthorised, poor quality Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) conversions
  • Higher demand could inflate rents and lower standards
  • Large families in receipt of benefits will be priced out of the housing market
  • Increased pressure on health care and support networks
  • Increased pupil mobility
  • Extra demand on local schools, social care and mental health services

Homeless people living in temporary accommodation

The uncertainty experienced by homeless people can cause increased stress, especially with lengthy periods living in temporary accommodation. The lack of control some people feel can lead to periods of depression especially if their reason for homelessness in the first place was a distressing one.

Rough sleepers

Rough sleepers in Haringey are among the most vulnerable groups in the borough, many have high support needs resulting from dependence on alcohol and drugs or have mental health issues.

Social Housing tenants

In Haringey there are 28,000 social rented homes, just over half of which are owned by the council. Most of the stock is estate-based and the vast majority are flats. The two biggest social landlords in Haringey are Homes for Haringey (the council’s ALMO) and London and Quadrant Housing Trust. Between them, they manage two thirds of social rented housing in the borough.

Demand for social housing far outweighs supply, with around 9,000 households on Haringey’s housing register and just under 3,000 homeless households living in temporary accommodation. Each year, between 800 and 1000 new tenancies are created; two thirds of these are allocated to homeless households and most are from black and minority ethnic (BME) groups.

In Haringey there is a direct correlation between the high concentration of social housing/temporary accommodation and those wards ranked as the most deprived in the borough. A high proportion of tenants are either on out-of-work benefits or receive benefits to top up their low income.

Older people

An ageing society is one of the great challenges for housing. National Government over the past decade has identified this as an area where significant changes need to be made, not only in the actual buildings but in challenging society’s perceptions of what housing for older people should mean. There are strong links between older age, housing and health and we recognise the interdependence of these.

Private sector tenants

The majority of private sector tenants live in suitable housing provided by responsible landlords. However, there are those living in properties that verge on being criminal in their inadequacy, many properties are overcrowded and there are those that do not even meet minimum health and safety standards. Low paid workers are most at risk of finding themselves living in these properties.

Households in fuel poverty

Vulnerable groups on low incomes, especially older people, are typically most affected by fuel poverty; in some cases faced with a choice that would be unimaginable to most, whether to heat or eat. There is a greater prevalence of fuel poverty among people aged over 60 years of age, single people under 60 and households with children. The consequences of fuel poverty can be severe; fuel poor householders are more susceptible in particular to respiratory illness such as bronchitis and asthma, and are at increased risk of strokes and heart attacks. The associated stress and anxiety that often goes hand in hand with fuel poverty can also lead to feelings of helplessness and depression. There is an estimated 25,000 (see footnote 3) excess winter deaths between December and March every year; this figure is far in excess of those in much colder countries such as Russia and Finland. While it is not possible to say that these are related to cold weather only, it is widely recognised that fuel poverty is a likely factor. If fuel poverty was eradicated the savings to the NHS could run into millions.

People living in overcrowded households

Overcrowded housing can have potentially devastating impacts on family cohesion and wellbeing. Living in overcrowded conditions can lead to increased anxiety, depression and relationship breakdown. The effects of living in overcrowded conditions are perhaps most keenly felt by children; it is estimated that children growing up in difficult housing conditions are 25% more likely to suffer severe ill health and disability during childhood/early adulthood (see footnote 4). Overcrowding can also impact negatively on a child’s educational and emotional development; a lack of space to study for example can lead to academic underachievement and strained family relations which can lead to feelings of isolation and unhappiness.

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The level of need of the population

Homelessness

The level of homelessness acceptances in Haringey reflects the level of poverty and deprivation in the borough. In 2009/10 the level of acceptances in London ranged across the boroughs, from one per 1,000 to eight per 1,000 (see footnote 5). Haringey’s acceptances (355) ranked fifth highest among the 33 London Boroughs (four in every 1,000 households- the average across all boroughs was three per 1,000). In 2010/11 the number of acceptances in Haringey rose to 494, (five in every 1,000), the fourth highest in London.

Reasons for homelessness

In 2010/11 more than a third of accepted applicants became homeless as a result of being asked to leave by parents, family or friends. This is an eight per cent reduction on the previous year where this reason accounted for 41 per cent of all accepted applicants.

A significant proportion of people were accepted by the Council because their private rented Assured Shorthold Tenancies had been brought to an end. In 75 per cent of these cases, landlords ended the tenancy without declaring any grounds relating to a breach of tenancy. The remaining categories were proportionately the same as previous years with one exception, last year saw a six per cent increase in the number of people who were accepted, following successful Home Office or Asylum applications.

Ethnicity of homeless households

acceptances by ethnicity

Fig 1.2 - Ethnicity of Haringey homeless acceptances

In 2010/11 applicants of black origin were over represented; around 41 per cent of main applicants accepted by Haringey Council, compared with 16 per cent of these groups within the general population in Haringey (see footnote 6). A housing study which was completed in 2010 (see footnote 7), mapped the major communities present in the North London sub-region. This study identified that Black African and Black Caribbean communities were concentrated in the east of Haringey, in wards which we know to be among the most deprived areas in England and where instances of overcrowding are highest (see footnote 8). The ethnic group identified as ‘other’ is also over represented at more than five times midyear estimates. This may be due to newer European migrant communities self identifying in this category, rather than in the expected ‘white other’ group, however further examination of this is needed.

Half of those accepted were lone parents, but the majority of these were lone female parents. Almost 60 per cent of households included dependent children. Single vulnerable households made up 39 per cent of all accepted applicants.

The second highest category last year was ‘other’. This includes households where for example, there are multiple needs and in cases where the dependants are not children.

Mental illness or disability and physical disability feature in 11 per cent and 6 percent of acceptances respectively closely followed by applicants aged 16/17 years (5 per cent). Reductions in the prevalence of acceptances due to Mental illness or disability and applicants aged 16/17 years can be seen over the last 2 years. This could be attributed to closer joint working with Children’s and Supporting People services and an increase in homelessness prevention through accessing supported accommodation.

Prevention of homelessness

In 2010/11 the Housing Advice and Options team, through positive action, were able to prevent or relieve homelessness in 780 cases.

A greater proportion of households that were assisted last year to obtain alternative accommodation, were helped into the private rented sector. The actual numbers (a reduction in real terms) however, reflect that it has become increasingly more difficult to secure private sector rented accommodation as a housing option. Changes to the local housing allowance, a reduction in financial incentives for landlords and welfare reforms are all factors which may have had an impact on the supply of private rented sector accommodation to housing benefit claimants.

Access to Hostels or shared accommodation was lower in 2010/11, and no low cost home ownership was secured, via the service. There was however an increase in the numbers assisted into accommodation arranged through friends or relations and supported accommodation.

There was an increase in the proportion and numbers of people who were able to remain in their own homes following negotiation or legal advocacy, reflecting the traditional private sector housing advice approach. Ensuring that people can sustain their tenancies is also a crucial part of homelessness prevention. Housing related support not only provides tenants with the knowledge and skills they need to live independently, it can also reduce hospital admissions and prevent anti-social behaviour (see footnote 9).

The Community Housing Service has strong links with partner agencies that provide this type of support. One such Haringey based service, HARTS for families (Haringey Tenancy Support for Families), supported around 800 families last year. The clients that received support had wide ranging and complex needs, and consisted of one or more of the following; mental or physical ill health, domestic violence, parenting skills and child protection, immigration, bereavement, learning difficulty, substance dependency, language and communication problems and relationship breakdown. As well as accepting referrals from housing officers, HARTS offer appointments at the Housing office, three days per week.

Statistics show that in the third quarter of 2010/11 Haringey support services helped 98.75% of their clients to maintain accommodation and 72.22% into independence (see footnote 10).

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Temporary Accommodation

Research tells us that there are a range of negative impacts associated with living in temporary accommodation (TA) (see footnote 11) which include increased pupil mobility, depression and worklessness (see footnote 12).

In December 2011 there were 2,991 households in TA, 2,435 (45 per cent) less than in January 2008. The rate of reduction has slowed and activity has concentrated on reducing the cost and increasing the standards of TA.

distribution of TA

Fig 1.3 Temporary Accommodation around Haringey

There were 4897 children and young people (under 18) in TA in at the end of December 2011. 14 applicants were aged between 16 and 17, although this is not a clear indication of the numbers of homeless 16 and 17 year olds as many are assisted through social services; in 2010/11 social services assisted 105 16/17 year olds who had said they had nowhere to live.

Changes to the temporary accommodation subsidy system, the Local Housing Allowance, combined with high rents in some areas (particularly inner London Boroughs) will make it more difficult to secure TA and affordable private sector housing options for housing benefit claimants in some areas.

This may cause migration to less expensive areas, the displacement of homelessness households, interruption of health, education and support services and additional resources will be needed locally to support these families. The additional demand for accommodation in outer London boroughs may also lead to a shortage of good quality accommodation.

Rough sleepers

Of the 66 people (see footnote 13) who were contacted by outreach services and/or arrived in or departed from accommodation in the period, 83% were male and 27% were female, with the majority being between the ages of 36 and 55.

British nationals were most highly represented among this group (27) followed by rough sleepers from central and east European countries (20). Of the rough sleepers seen bedded down 14 had one or more support needs related to drug, alcohol or mental health problems.

Older People

There are significant links between older age, housing and health and interdependencies need to be recognised when planning for the future challenges posed by our ageing population. Appropriate housing and location, with or without care and support, plays a key role in enabling people to live independently.

By 2020, nearly one in five of the population will be over 65 and projections show that by 2026 there will be a further 2.4 million older households in England than there are today. More people will live to be over 100, and on average, 10 of those years will be spent with a disability (see footnote 14).

The 2001 Census showed that 58% of people aged over 50 in Haringey were owner-occupiers. 73% of residents in Muswell Hill and 78% in Alexandra wards owned their own homes whilst only 38% in White Hart Lane and 40% in Northumberland Park do.

Older people tenure

Fig 1.4 Proportion of population aged 55-64, 65-74, 75-84 and over 85 by tenure, (ONS) 2001 Census

Data from the General Household Survey, carried out in 2004 indicated that by 2008 6,947 people over 65 would be living alone. Of these, 4,518 would have a limiting long term illness (see footnote 15).

The number of people living alone is projected to rise to 9,096 by 2025, and of this number, those living alone with a limiting long-term illness is predicted to increase to 5,521 over the same period.

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Fuel Poverty

Vulnerable groups on low incomes, especially older persons, are typically most affected by fuel poverty; in some cases faced with a choice that would be unimaginable to most; whether to heat or eat.

According to 2001 figures, 14.75% of Haringey’s population aged 65 and over lived in homes with no central heating. This equates to 3124 people out of the 65+ population of 21,175.

Those that have central heating have had to contend with gas bills doubling between 2003 and 2009 (see footnote 16). Research carried out in summer 2010 revealed that 44% of adults are concerned about the impact of the winter freeze on their energy bills, rising to 50% for people who are retired (see footnote 17). Estimates from the Department of Energy and Climate Change put the rate of fuel poverty in Haringey around 14%, slightly above the London average.

Fuel poverty London local authorities

Fig 1.5 Fuel poverty within London Local Authorities

The consequences of fuel poverty can be severe; fuel poor householders are more susceptible in particular to respiratory illness such as bronchitis and asthma, and are at increased risk of strokes and heart attacks. The associated stress and anxiety that often goes hand in hand with fuel poverty can also lead to feelings of helplessness and depression.

Nationally there are an estimated 25,000 excess winter deaths between December and March every year. For every degree Centigrade below the winter average, 8000 people will die. These figures are far in excess of those in much colder countries such as Russia and Finland. While it is not possible to say that these are related to cold weather only, it is widely recognised that fuel poverty is a likely factor. If fuel poverty is eradicated, savings to the NHS could run into the millions.

A study for the British Medical Journal in 2004 found there was ‘little evidence of a trend of increasing risk of excess winter death with socioeconomic group, housing tenure, or reported difficulty in making ends meet or in keeping the house warm. Nor was there clear evidence that the combination of low socioeconomic group and reported difficulty in keeping the house warm was associated with excess risk. Those who lived alone seemed no more vulnerable than others.’ (see footnote 18).

In Haringey there were 30 excess winter deaths in 2006-07, according to the Office for National Statistics. This has dropped from a high of 110 in 2002-03. Not limited to the effects on householders, fuel poverty often results in increased household maintenance and repair costs sending householders deeper into fuel poverty. The associated negative impacts on the home will be increased condensation, dampness and mould growth as well as increased levels of dust mites which can exacerbate health problems.

In Haringey, as might be expected, there are variations between wards in the number of households in fuel poverty. Wards with the highest incidence are mainly in the east of the borough and include Seven Sisters, Northumberland Park and Noel Park. In the west there are fewer incidences with the lowest being Fortis Green, Muswell Hill and Crouch End. This is not to say, however, that within these wards there are not variations between individual households.

Haringey’s Older Person’s Needs Assessment contains further details of older people’s housing needs and Haringey’s Older People’s Housing Strategy sets out Haringey’s approach to delivering an integrated approach to the housing needs of older people in the borough.

Overcrowding

Overcrowding is not just about a lack of storage space or a queue for the bathroom in the morning, it can have significant negative impacts on family cohesion and wellbeing. Living in overcrowded conditions can lead to increased anxiety, depression and relationship breakdown. The effects of living in overcrowded conditions are perhaps most keenly felt by children; it is estimated that children growing up in difficult housing conditions are 25% more likely to suffer severe ill health and disability during childhood/early adulthood (see footnote 19). Overcrowding can also impact negatively on a child’s educational and emotional development; a lack of space to study for example can lead to academic underachievement and strained family relations which can lead to feelings of isolation and unhappiness. A survey of 505 overcrowded households carried out by Shelter in 2005 reveals the extent of these issues.

overcrowding survey

Fig 1.6 Shelter - survey of overcrowding

The 2009-10 English Housing Survey estimated the overall rate of overcrowding in England to be about 3% which equates to approximately 656,000 households living in overcrowded conditions. The overall rate for overcrowding in England has remained relatively static over the past ten years due mainly to the levels in the owner occupied properties remaining stable. However, data indicates that the level of overcrowding in social housing and the private rented sector has risen.

In London around 207,000 households are overcrowded as measured by the Bedroom Standard which equates to 6.8 percent of the total households; around 102,000 of these live in social rented housing.

According to the 2001 census there are 20,455 households in Haringey who are suffering from overcrowding which equates to 22% of all households in the Borough. It showed that more than 10% of households living in social housing are overcrowded with 4.4% severely overcrowded (lacking two or more bedrooms).

overcrowding social housing

Fig 1.7 Overcrowding in London Local Authorities - Census 2001

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Private Rented Sector

At the last census (2001), there was a higher than average number of households living in private rented accommodation in Haringey; 20.1% of Haringey households lived in private rented accommodation compared to 14.3% in London and 8.72% in England and Wales. The 2009-10 English Housing Survey revealed that private rented dwellings had the highest incidence of non-decency at 41% and are considerably more likely to experience damp.

In Haringey, the majority of complaints relating to the condition of private sector rented accommodation come from households in the eastern wards of the borough (to the left of the dotted line in the chart below), where high demand for cheaper rented accommodation helps to create an environment where landlords do not have to compete on standards.

complaints private sector

Fig 1.8 Average Private Sector Housing complaints in Haringey 2008-2010

Feedback from the community engagement conducted after the riots revealed that whilst there was recognition that housing in Tottenham was of mixed quality (and in many cases good or excellent), more often than not, housing was reported as being ‘poor or very poor’. The concern related to both social and private housing and issues raised include the age of properties, the small size of units (and illegal / poor conversions and overcrowding), poor quality of design and issues with cleanliness.

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Current services in relation to need

In 2009 the homelessness and lettings functions were drawn together to establish a specialist Housing Support and Options Service comprising five teams: Housing Advice, Housing Options, Private Sector Lettings, Vulnerable Adults and Hearthstone (domestic violence service).

The primary purpose of the Housing Support and Options Service is to provide home owners, tenants and people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness with high quality advice and assistance in order to prevent homelessness, tackle domestic violence, improve housing conditions, enable access to affordable home ownership and the private rented sector, and support planned move-on from hospital, residential care and supported housing.

  • The Housing Advice Team provides comprehensive advice on all aspects of housing (Including landlord and tenant law, harassment and unlawful eviction, disrepair, rent and mortgage arrears, the housing implications of domestic violence and/or relationship breakdown, defending possession proceedings and the assessment of welfare benefits and tax credits) in order to improve housing conditions, sustain tenancies and prevent homelessness.
  • The Housing Options Team provides expert advice on the full range of options (including affordable home ownership, private rented accommodation, the sanctuary scheme, mutual exchanges, sheltered housing, moving from under occupied social housing, and moving out of Haringey), together with the eligibility criteria, in order to enable service users to make informed decisions on which options will best meet their housing and support needs.
  • The Private Sector Lettings Team works proactively with private landlords to make it easier for people who are living in temporary accommodation or about to become homeless to find and keep good quality, affordable, well managed private rented accommodation.
  • The Vulnerable Adults Team plays a pivotal role in assessing and meeting the housing and support needs of vulnerable adults who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, in order to prevent them becoming homeless, empower them to become more independent and to sustain their accommodation, and support their planned move-on from hospital, residential care and supported housing.

Housing related support is support that helps vulnerable citizens improve their quality of life and wellbeing by enabling them to live as independently as possible in their community. This support can be provided in fixed locations (accommodation based such as hostels) or wherever the service user may live in the borough, regardless of tenure (floating support). Support can be short or longer term depending on need and what type of accommodation people live in. Housing related support is provided to prevent people from requiring a more intensive or institutional form of care or support. It is also provided as a means of addressing an emergency situation (e.g. domestic violence refuge and homeless hostel).

Supported Housing for Older People

There are nearly 1,000 sheltered housing units in the borough most of which are located in the east of the borough (see the table below for a detailed breakdown). Haringey’s Supporting People Strategy (2005) identifies the borough as having a greater than average supply of supported housing and a lower than average population aged 65+ than both London as a whole and England.

Sheltered Housing schemes are normally for people over retirement age although people in their 50’s and early 60’s who have support needs can apply. The aim is to help people lead an active and independent life for as long as possible.

Community Good Neighbour Scheme

Tenants living in Community Good Neighbour schemes tend to be somewhat younger and more active than people in sheltered schemes so vacancies tend to be less frequent. A Community Scheme Officer will make regular visits to the schemes, keep an eye on tenants’ well-being and offer advice with day-to-day problems.

Each flat or bungalow has an alarm system which is connected to the Community Scheme Officer’s office and to the Communication Centre. Emergency help is available around the clock, just as in sheltered housing.

Some Community Good Neighbour schemes have a few communal facilities.

There are currently 1,366 units of accommodation for older people owned by Haringey Council and 744 units of accommodation for older people owned and run by housing associations (HAs); the vast majority of which fit the Community Good Neighbour model of supported housing.

Fig 1.9 Housing for older people in Haringey

older people housing

Extra care housing

Extra care housing provides well designed homes that are suitable for increasing frailty and illness in older age. This type of housing is designed to support independent living, allowing care to be delivered to people in their own homes without necessarily having to go into residential or nursing care. Care services can be offered 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.

The communal facilities in extra care housing usually exceed those found in conventional or in enhanced sheltered housing scheme and are focussed on maintaining independence rather than just being seen as recreational. Often they include gyms and wellbeing facilities, IT and educational resources as well being the focus for the promotion of health and communal activities in the local community.

Extra care housing can provide social rented, part ownership or full ownership depending on the model and area the scheme is developed in.

The Department of Health has been particularly active in promoting this style of provision, supporting a programme of capital subsidy that has encouraged the spread of extra care housing across England.

In February 2004, the Department of Health awarded Haringey capital funding to upgrade 60 supported housing units owned by Hornsey Housing Trust to extra care standard. This scheme is in the west of the borough and is for rent. There are 2 extra care schemes currently being developed by a Registered Housing Provider. These are in the west of the borough and will have 80 apartments available to rent.

Residential care

Nationally we know that many older people move into long-term residential or nursing care because there are no alternative care options for very frail older people, or older people with mental health needs. We also know that many who live on their own go straight from receiving limited or no care services into long-term residential care as their care needs are not identified at an earlier stage.

Currently in Haringey we have 19 registered care homes, both council and private. Between them they offer 607 places for older people across a broad spectrum of need. This includes learning disability and mental health needs. Only 8 of these homes offer double rooms for couples who wish to stay together.

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Services users and carers opinions

Temporary Accommodation Forum

The forum acts as mechanism for the council to consult on the issues that are important to our TA residents and to shape and improve services through their feedback. The TA forum also provides a hub for information sharing on work and training opportunities as well as advice on improving residents’ health and wellbeing.

Landlord Forum

Haringey Council's Landlord Forum provides an opportunity for landlords to meet on a regular basis with the Council and share ideas about how we can work together to improve services for tenants.

Provider Forum

The forum enables Housing Related Support Providers to liaise, share best practice and through consultation with the council, help to shape future Housing Related Services for Haringey’s Residents.

Older people

In 2005 Haringey Council commissioned Ridgeway Associates to undertake an older persons housing and support needs analysis to give a clear understanding and detail of the current and future requirement for housing and support. Although 5 years old the main findings are still relevant even though there has been some changes to the general demographics.

They found that people move into supported housing for a variety of reasons, including;

  • Security – concern about living alone
  • Health
  • Loneliness
  • Trading down from a larger property – not being able to do the housework and garden
  • Family break up
  • Ageing - in need of more support
  • Illness of partner
  • Lack of family nearby or no family
  • To be near family

They also found that people were confused about sheltered housing, residential care and extra care housing.

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Expert opinion and evidence base

Recommendations for Commissioning

Community Housing Services are currently developing a Commissioning Plan for housing related support. The plan will review current services and assess future need based on evidence in order to plan how effectively the funding can be used to develop innovative, flexible services that address the current and future users of these services ensuring as many as possible are able to live independently. The Housing JSNA will be updated once the Commissioning Plan is published.

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Key contacts

Author:

Paul Dowling
Senior Policy Officer
paul.dowling@haringey.gov.uk

Tel: 020 8489 4301

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Footnotes

1. Reference rents used for private sector housing benefit calculation

2. Shared Accommodation Rate Impact Assessment, DWP, 2011

3. Office for National Statistics

4. Chance of a lifetime – the impact of bad housing on children’s lives, Shelter, 2006

5. CLG Live tables: 784 – Local Authorities’ actions under homelessness provision

6. ONS 2009 Mid year estimates

7. Auxo, North London Sub-Region- Black and Minority Ethnic Housing Study 2007-2009

8. Source data: Haringey’s Housing Register

9. CLG, Research into the effectiveness of homelessness prevention- final report

10. Supporting people local system data :Quarter 3( financial year 2010)

11. Shelter, Living in Limbo: Survey of Households Living in temporary accommodation, 2004

12. CLG, Statutory Homelessness in England: The experiences of families and 16/17 year olds, 2008

13. All data from CHAIN outer London borough report 2010/11

14. Projecting Older People Population Information System (POPPI)

15. (Figures are taken from Office for National Statistics (ONS) Table C0839, Age (65 and over in 5 year age groups) and Limiting long-term illness (LLTI) by household size, a commissioned table from ONS using information from the 2001 census. Numbers have been calculated by applying percentages to projected population figure)

16. UK Fuel Poverty Strategy Annual Report 2009, Dept of Energy & Climate Change

17. Home Heat Helpline poll, YouGov research, 2010

18. Vulnerability to winter mortality in elderly people in Britain: population based study, BMJ 2004;329:647

19. Chance of a lifetime – the impact of bad housing on children’s lives, Shelter, 2006

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Page Last Updated: 2 May 2013

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