SECTION FIVE: SERVICES PROVIDED AND CHARGES
Overview
5.1 This section presents information on services received and the costs paid by local authority and housing association tenants living in sheltered housing and extra care housing.
Service Provision
5.2 Respondents to the electronic questionnaire were asked to identify which services were available in all or some of their schemes. Their responses for sheltered housing are shown in Tables 5.1a and 5.1b and those for extra care housing in Tables 5.2a and 5.2b.
5.3 It is not possible to tell from the questionnaires whether an unanswered question has not been completed because it does not apply in the respondent's area or because the respondent chose not to (or was unable to) answer the question. Therefore the responses should be interpreted with some caution. Nevertheless, Table 5.1a suggests that all most all council-provided sheltered housing includes a community alarm service, though this may not be run by the local authority itself. Almost all schemes include some form of warden support, though their availability varies. A few councils still seem to have some sheltered housing where the resident warden is available on a 24/7 basis. Similar patterns are seen in Table 5.1b for schemes provided by housing associations. A small number of schemes include regular or optional meals; these may be part of a scheme that also includes extra care provision. A few council-provided schemes have on-site care teams available during day time only or all of the time. These schemes may be linked to a local residential/care home, with tenants being able to share their facilities and staff.
Table 5.1a: Service provision in council-provided sheltered housing
| All schemes | Some schemes |
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Number | %* | Number | %* |
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Resident warden 12 available 24/7 | 2 | 10.5% | 4 | 21.5% |
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Resident warden working fixed hours | 4 | 21.5% | 7 | 36.8% |
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Full-time non-resident 13 warden | 5 | 26.3% | 7 | 36.8% |
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Part-time non-resident warden | 2 | 10.5% | 7 | 36.8% |
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Council-run community alarm service | 14 | 73.7% | 4 | 21.5% |
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Externally-run community alarm service | 3 | 15.8% | 0 | 0.0% |
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Optional meals ("pay as you go") | 1 | 5.3% | 1 | 5.3% |
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Regular meals (covered by weekly charge) | 1 | 5.3% | 0 | 0.0% |
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On-site care team (24 hours) | 2 | 10.5% | 0 | 0.0% |
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On-site care team (day time only) | 0 | 0.0% | 2 | 10.5% |
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Notes to table
* based on responses from 19 Councils
Table 5.1b: Service provision in housing association-provided sheltered housing
| All schemes | Some schemes |
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Number | %* | Number | %* |
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Resident warden 14 available 24/7 | 1 | 3.1% | 2 | 6.3% |
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Resident warden working fixed hours | 7 | 21.9% | 7 | 21.9% |
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Full-time non-resident 15 warden | 19 | 59.4% | 5 | 15.6% |
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Part-time non-resident warden | 4 | 12.5% | 7 | 21.9% |
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In-house community alarm service | 4 | 12.5% | 1 | 3.1% |
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Externally-run community alarm service | 24 | 75.0% | 2 | 6.3% |
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Optional meals ("pay as you go") | 1 | 3.1% | 2 | 6.3% |
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Regular meals (covered by weekly charge) | 0 | 0.0% | 1 | 3.1% |
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On-site care team (24 hours) | 0 | 0.0% | 1 | 3.1% |
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On-site care team (day time only) | 0 | 0.0% | 1 | 3.1% |
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Notes to table
* based on responses from 32 housing associations
5.4 The data in Table 5.2a suggest that people living in council-provided extra care housing are more likely to have access to regular or optional means and to an on-site care team, though these services do not seem to be available in all such facilities. Most schemes (but again, not all) are linked to a community alarm service and most (but again, not all) have a full-time non-resident warden to provide support at predetermined times to tenants. Table 5.2b suggests that extra care schemes provided by housing associations are more likely to have regular input from a warden (who may be resident or non-resident), but otherwise have similar patterns of service provision as in council-provided extra care housing.
Table 5.2a: Service provision in council-provided extra care housing
| All schemes | Some schemes |
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Number | %* | Number | %* |
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Resident warden available 24/7 | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0.0% |
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Resident warden working fixed hours | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0.0% |
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Full-time non-resident warden | 4 | 66.7% | 0 | 0.0% |
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Part-time non-resident warden | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0.0% |
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Council-run community alarm service | 5 | 83.3% | 0 | 0.0% |
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Externally-run community alarm service | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0.0% |
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Optional meals ("pay as you go") | 5 | 83.3% | 1 | 16.7% |
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Regular meals (covered by weekly charge) | 2 | 33.3% | 1 | 16.7% |
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On-site care team (24 hours) | 3 | 50.0% | 0 | 0.0% |
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On-site care team (day time only) | 3 | 50.0% | 0 | 0.0% |
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Notes to table
* based on responses from 6 Councils
Table 5.2b: Service provision in housing association-provided extra care housing
| All schemes | Some schemes |
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Number | %* | Number | %* |
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Resident warden available 24/7 | 1 | 9.1% | 1 | 9.1% |
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Resident warden working fixed hours | 2 | 18.2% | 3 | 27.3% |
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Full-time non-resident warden | 5 | 45.5% | 2 | 18.2% |
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Part-time non-resident warden | 0 | 0.0% | 2 | 18.2% |
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In-house community alarm service | 3 | 27.3% | 1 | 9.1% |
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Externally-run community alarm service | 7 | 63.6% | 2 | 18.2% |
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Optional meals ("pay as you go") | 1 | 9.1% | 3 | 27.3% |
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Regular meals (covered by weekly charge) | 6 | 54.5% | 2 | 18.2% |
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On-site care team (24 hours) | 2 | 18.2% | 1 | 9.1% |
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On-site care team (day time only) | 1 | 9.1% | 1 | 9.1% |
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Notes to table
* based on responses from 11 housing associations
Charges
5.5 The weekly charges paid for by (or on behalf of) tenants of sheltered housing and extra care housing may comprise several elements, such as rent, service or property charges ( e.g. for external maintenance and cleaning); a heating and lighting charge ( e.g. for communal areas); charges for meals; community alarm charges; and support charges. Respondents were asked to record their charges for each type of property they provided ( e.g. bedsit/studio apartment; one bedroom flat). These costs have then been aggregated to determine the total charges for each property type.
5.6 It is clear from the responses that charges are determined in many different ways. For example, some providers seem to charge an inclusive amount for all of the elements, while others quoted separate amounts for each element, Furthermore, although some providers gave a range of local charges, it was only possible to use mid-point values for each respondent in the analysis. Given the wide variations in provision of both services and facilities within schemes, it is not possible to identify 'definitive' charges for each type of accommodation. This is another aspect of sheltered housing where practice differs considerably both between areas and between providers.
5.7 Tables 5.3a and 5.3b show these charges for council-provided and housing association sheltered housing. The average total weekly charges for similar types of accommodation tend to be lower for local authority provision than for housing association schemes. Although the lowest charges are similar, the highest charges associated with housing association providers are much higher than those charged by councils, which raised the average costs of living in housing association schemes. Some housing association charges, however, were lower than those levied by local authorities. Furthermore, because not all providers have all five types of property, the costs can be influenced by whether or not a particular local authority or housing association provides a particular type of accommodation. For example, the average total charge for one bedroom flats provided by housing associations is higher than that for two bedroom flats because the more expensive providers do not include two bedroom flats in their property portfolio.
5.8 Tables 5.4a and 5.4b show that the average weekly charges for similar accommodation in extra care housing differ much less between local authority and housing association providers. Indeed, for this type of housing, there appears to be more variability in charges across local authority providers, though small numbers of providers mean that these costs should be treated with some caution. The four tables show clearly that provision and charges vary considerably and that extra care housing can be very expensive (especially in council-run schemes).
Table 5.3a: Summary of weekly charges for council-provided sheltered housing
| Number of providers | Average (Total) charge | Lowest charge | Highest charge |
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Bed-sitting room | 16 | £59.19 | £35 | £89 |
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One bedroom flat | 17 | £63.33 | £38 | £88 |
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Two bedroom flat | 11 | £72.33 | £52 | £109 |
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One bedroom bungalow | 11 | £62.52 | £40 | £85 |
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Two bedroom bungalow | 5 | £76.65 | £68 | £87 |
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Table 5.3b: Summary of weekly charges for housing association-provided sheltered housing
| Number of providers | Average (Total) charge | Lowest charge | Highest charge |
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Bed-sitting room | 16 | £78.19 | £36 | £164 |
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One bedroom flat | 26 | £124.27 | £47 | £391 |
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Two bedroom flat | 18 | £105.83 | £39 | £299 |
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One bedroom bungalow | 14 | £91.36 | £37 | £298 |
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Two bedroom bungalow | 10 | £104.80 | £39 | £335 |
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Table 5.4a: Summary of weekly charges for council-provided extra care housing
| Number of providers | Average (Total) charge | Lowest charge | Highest charge |
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Bed-sitting room | 2 | £77.50 | £68 | £87 |
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One bedroom flat | 6 | £140.09 | £55 | £271 |
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Two bedroom flat | 4 | £159.54 | £68 | £358 |
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One bedroom bungalow | 2 | £149.24 | £55 | £243 |
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Two bedroom bungalow | 1 | £68.32 | £68 | £68 |
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Table 5.4b: Summary of weekly charges for housing association-provided extra care housing
| Number of providers | Average (Total) charge | Lowest charge | Highest charge |
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Bed-sitting room | 9 | £151.78 | £106 | £221 |
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One bedroom flat | 6 | £138.17 | £114 | £191 |
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Two bedroom flat | 6 | £142.50 | £121 | £192 |
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One bedroom bungalow | 4 | £144.00 | £117 | £190 |
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Two bedroom bungalow | 3 | £169.33 | £121 | £195 |
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Summary
5.9 This section has shown that:
- Service provision - especially of warden support services - varies considerably across both sheltered housing and extra care schemes;
- Almost all residents have regular (though not necessarily full time) access to a warden, though these are generally non-resident;
- Some of the data are skewed due to the small numbers of providers of some types of housing ( e.g. two-bedroom flats; bungalows; council provision of extra care) and all data on charges should be interpreted with caution;
- Weekly charges vary considerably, especially within housing association provision;
- These will in part reflect different facilities ( e.g. the extent of communal facilities) and levels of support, but these alone are unlikely to explain all of the observed variation;
- Some providers include all services within their weekly rent, whereas other provided breakdowns for each service element;
- Costs for extra care include support costs, which seem to vary considerably, especially within council-run schemes (although these may also be influenced by economies of scale relating to the sizes of schemes);
- Residents who are self funders, especially if they have formerly been owner occupiers with no mortgage, may feel that the charges for sheltered housing and extra care accommodation are very high when compared with their previous housing-related costs.