APPENDIX FIVE: FUNDING & INDICATIVE COSTS OF SERVICES
While the local authority survey provided uneven information on funding sources and levels, it confirmed a sea change in the funding regime for housing-related support services, with Supporting People grant being a key funder of support services for homeless people across the 31 local authorities that responded to the survey. The extent of Supporting People contribution varied from full to partial funding.
In terms of indicative costs the survey did not elicit a comprehensive or systematic picture of current costs across different models of provision. However, together with the interview programme, some cost indicators were obtained for certain types of service. Key patterns included:
- That the cost of providing information advice and assessment to address needs arising from threatened homelessness, homelessness crises and related debt problems and support needs varies significantly by urban and rural areas, with examples of the indicative cost per applicant ranging from £82 to £145 in urban areas and from £219 to £620 in rural and island areas.
- Costs of supported accommodation identified through the case studies ranged across a rent between £150 and £350 per person per week; and Supporting People housing support costs of between £100 and £600 per person per week. Wider consultation identified costs of supported lodgings as being fairly consistent at around £215 per week.
- Rent deposit/ guarantee schemes generally provide bond/deposits (85%); a minority provide cash deposits (5%) and 25% provide rent in advance (National Rent Deposit Forum, 2002 The average bond issued per tenancy was £313 in 2002-03 (with considerable variations). Over 8 schemes average advance rent per tenancy was £343.
- Supported accommodation services with 24 hour supervision and support, vary significantly in costs. These may accommodate people with very intense needs, for example some who otherwise might require nursing or residential care. Indicative weekly cost of residence may vary from £300 to £500 per week. In highly supervised and structured establishments the cost of placement may be as much as £1000 per week.
- In terms of floating support, costs similarly vary, as should be expected of services that respond to particular and changing needs. Hourly costs for relatively low level support were quoted around £14 to £15 per hour with weekly support hours ranging from 5 per week (low) to 5 to 20 (medium). In the case study areas, costs of Supporting People were identified as ranging from £8 to £37 per person per hour.
- Regarding more intensive support for people with complex needs, such as brain injuries or Korsakoff syndrome, support is more specialised and intensive and hourly rates are higher (£18 to £20). One example of such a service costed at £54,300 for 1.4 workers delivering contact time of between 6 to 9 hours a week to 15 to 17 clients, including training and travel and a small management fee. For some individuals with very high support needs ( e.g. 7 day on-site support at home with on-call overnight support or waking staff), annual costs can be between £130,000 and £150,000. However the level of need for support may lessen after the initial resettlement period.
A Families Support service may provide low support (up to 5 hours) or medium level support (between 5 and 20 hours) depending on individual households' needs and the hourly rate may be around £27. Revenue costs quoted for such services were around £380,000 per annum.
Assertive outreach services may provide short, medium or long-term support. for people with People who have multiple support needs, who may be very vulnerable and have difficulties in engaging with services, so that they miss appointments etc. Assuming an hourly rate of £27.00 and a support level of medium (5 to 20 hours) to high (20 plus hours), then support hours could involve 40-60 hours per week if a tightly structured 'wrap around' service is needed ( e.g. "a young chaotic person with learning disability"). Face to face support hours may be fewer than funded, given the time spent reaching clients.
Given that this research emphasises that support services should be needs assessment led, all the above cost indicators could play a role in addressing the needs of homeless people in general and intentionally homeless people in particular.