OLDER PEOPLE'S CONSULTATIVE FORUM
HOUSING SUPPORT CHARGES FOR ALARM SERVICES
This paper fulfils a commitment in the note of the Forum's meeting on 14 August for a briefing on the provision of alarm services.
Background
1. Alarm systems are one of the 21 prescribed housing support services supported through the Supporting People programme, and therefore may be charged for under the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) guidance on charging policies for non-residential services that enable people to remain in their own homes. As with all COSLA guidance, its adoption, in full or in part, is at the discretion of member councils - it is not mandatory.
2. COSLA is aware that charging for alarm services is particularly unpopular. COSLA has received, and continues to receive, representations from pensioner organisations and pressure groups about this issue. As a consequence the matter was considered in depth when COSLA guidance on Charging Policies was last reviewed in 2005/06 by a short-life, member-led Task Group. In addition, our former Older Person's Spokesperson, Sir Charles Gray, reported previously on the matter to the Older Peoples' Consultative Forum when it was chaired by Malcolm Chisholm MSP.
3. The working group acknowledged that practice in relation to charging for alarms differed across the country and while this had the potential to generate adverse publicity for councils, it was an inevitable consequence of local democracy. Parallels can be drawn with differing services offered by different Health Boards.
4. The position in individual authorities is not static. As individual council budget positions change, so can the need or otherwise to levy charges. Alarm systems need to be upgraded to ensure appropriate service levels are provided. It can be that councils who previously did not charge might have to consider charging to meet the cost of upgrades.
5. During the last Charging Guidance Review, COSLA politicians firmly rejected a proposal recommending that no charges be levied for community alarms. When members were advised of the 2008 Review, they stressed that the principle of the retention of maximum flexibility for councils should underpin the review. In reaching this decision, COSLA politicians were aware of the fact that the Guidance does leave it to councils' discretion as to whether or not all or part of a charge should be disregarded in cases of hardship.
6. The 2006 revised COSLA guidance aimed to ensure that every new recipient of housing support services is offered a financial assessment to determine whether or not they are required to make a contribution toward the cost of the service they receive.
7. It would be possible for a local authority to decide not to charge for alarm systems, and some councils have chosen not to charge for other housing support services such as Telecare service, but it would not be possible to push the funding burden onto housing benefit, paid by the Department for Work and Pensions. Since 2003, when Supporting People funding came in, alarm systems and other housing support services are no longer classed as expenditure eligible for housing benefit relief.
8. The possible requirement to pay charges should be made clear in the agreement the service user signs when the support service is started.
9. When Supporting People was introduced protection from charging for existing tenants was built into the system. People who had been tenants before 1 April 2003, and who did not already pay charges, were exempt from charges for that service. They might however be subject to charges for additional services, and new tenants are always assessed for charges according to their income.
Concordat with local government
10. The ring fence around the Supporting People programme was removed from 1 April 2008, with the budget being absorbed into the main local government settlement. This should give local authorities greater freedom and flexibility in how they fund alarm systems, and reduce unnecessary bureaucracy, but local authorities will continue to have to decide whether alarm systems, Telecare or other support options provide the best way of helping older people and others sustain independent living. Decisions on charging will continue to be for individual local authorities to make, taking account of COSLA's own charging guidance.
11. Housing support services have an important role to play in delivering against some of the 15 new national outcomes, but there is no separate national indicator around housing support. Discussions with stakeholders are ongoing to see how best to continue support for vulnerable clients.
Conclusion
12. COSLA undertook, with the then Scottish Executive, to review the operation of the revised Charging Guidance after a two year period and arrangements are in hand for this to be undertaken. A survey of member councils is likely to be part of the Review process and will almost certainly seek to ingather information about whether or not councils elect to charge for community alarms. The changes in funding arrangements and the removal of ring fencing may delay the survey as councils seek to take decisions in the new climate. It is hoped that the Review will be completed by October 2008.
Joint paper by the Housing Support Team, Scottish Government and COSLA
April 2008