I have a problem with a support service. Can you help?
I’m a Support Provider and I want to start a new support service. Will Supporting People fund it?
Am I eligible for help with my support charge?
How will I be paid/where will the money go?
What are the payments for?
How can I apply for funding for my Supporting People Service?
What happens if I can't get help with my funding?
I have a problem with a support service. Can you help?
If you are not happy with any aspect of your support service you should contact your support provider. In the first instance, this would probably mean talking to your support worker or scheme manager.
If you do not want to talk to them you could contact someone else in the organisation or put you concerns in writing. Every support provider funded by Supporting People has its own Complaints Procedure which will set out how they deal with and respond to complaints. Ask for a copy of this from your support worker or scheme manager. This will tell you how you can make a complaint or take your complaint further if you need to.
Supporting People can only get involved if your support provider is not following their Complaints Procedure or they have not dealt with your complaint properly. Contact us if this is the case.
I’m a Support Provider and I want to start a new support service. Will Supporting People fund it?
The Nottinghamshire Supporting People Five Year Strategy looks at the needs of different types of vulnerable people against the current provision of services. Any decisions about how the Supporting People grant is spent will be based on priorities highlighted in the strategy. You may wish to read our strategy to see if your new service would fit into the priorities identified. The strategy will be reviewed every year so that new information about need can inform priorities and a local Annual Plan which will identify any plan to invest in new services.
Following this, service specifications are written and any new services are then tendered. The service specifications are published on our website under documents section, supporting people services, and also appear as a news item.
Am I eligible for help with my support charge?
For short-term services, there is no charge to the service user.
For long-term services, Supporting People will always pay the full charge for your housing related support service if you receive any amount of:
- Housing Benefit
- Pension Credit – Guarantee Credit
- Income Support
- Income Based Jobseekers Allowance
If you don’t get one of these benefits you may still be able to get some help with your support charges by having a financial assessment:
You can only have a financial assessment if you:
- Started receiving your support service on or after 1 April 2003, or,
- If you are already receiving a Home Care Service from the Adult Social Care and Health department.
Your financial assessment can only be successful if you:
- Have savings or other capital of less than £22,250.
You are particularly likely to get help if you:
- Have extra costs - high heating bills, a special diet, extra laundry - because you are disabled, or,
- Have a low income, or,
- Are working.
If you are in receipt of one of the benefits listed, or, you think that you may get help by having a financial assessment, you should apply by completing a Supporting People Subsidy Application. Your support provider will be able to help you to complete this form.
How will I be paid/where will the money go?
The money will be paid directly to your landlord or whoever provides your housing related support. They will then use this money to pay the charges for your support service.
If you have a rent account with your service provider which lists the charges for the cost of your accommodation, you should also see a charge listed for the cost of the support provided. Any money paid by Supporting People should be credited to your rent account to pay for this charge.
If you have any queries about how your charge is paid for, please contact the organisation that provide your support service.
What are the payments for?
The payments you receive are for the cost of your housing related support service. This could be:
- A warden or scheme manager, who is there in case you need help,
- A Community Alarm Service
- The help a Support Worker gives you, for example help with benefits and bills
The payments do not pay for anything else such as rent or housing maintenance charges.
How can I apply for funding for my Supporting People service?
You can apply for subsidy to pay for the cost of your service by completing a Supporting People Subsidy Application form.
You need to tell us you receive any amount of
- Housing Benefit
- Pension Credit
- Guarantee Credit
- Income Support
- Income Based Jobseekers Allowance
You will also need to tell us the amount of savings or other capital that you have. You can get these forms from your Service Provider who will be able to help you complete them or you can download them from this website.
What happens if I can't get help with my funding?
Other help with meeting your support costs - Below is a brief guide to some of the state benefits that are most commonly under claimed. Apart from Pension Credit, these benefits are not means tested, which means you can claim them irrespective of other income or savings. We have not included rates of payment for these benefits (as these change from time to time) but you can get up to date information from the telephone helpline numbers listed below.
Attendance Allowance - can be claimed if you are over 65 years and have problems looking after yourself or need someone to keep an eye on you because of an illness or disability. Attendance Allowance is paid at two rates.
Disability Living Allowance - can be claimed if you are aged under 65 and have problems looking after yourself or find it to difficult walk or get around because of an illness or disability.
Carer’s Allowance - can be paid if you regularly look after someone for 35 hours or more each week who receives Attendance Allowance or Disability Living Allowance care component at either the middle or high rate. Seek advice before claiming Carer’s Allowance as getting this benefit can sometimes affect the benefits of the person you are caring for.
Council Tax Discounts - which may reduce your Council Tax bill by up to 50% can be claimed if a person in your household is a carer or has a severe mental impairment such as Alzheimers disease. Contact your local council for more information.
Council Tax Reductions - If you have to use a wheelchair indoors or have a room set aside mainly for your use because of your disability you may get a reduction in your Council Tax. Contact your local council for more information.
Free Prescriptions - are available to people aged under 60 who have a permanent physical disability, which prevents them from leaving their home without help from another person, or to people who suffer from certain conditions such as epilepsy or diabetes.
Pension Credit - is a benefit that 'tops up' your weekly income. People over 65 can also be eligible for an additional payment known as savings credit. Carers and disabled people get extra amounts included, so are more likely to qualify for Pension Credit. It is therefore worth checking out if you qualify.
Contact the Pension Credit helpline listed below for more information.
If you would like further information on any of the above benefits you can contact one of the following telephone helpline numbers, which operate each weekday.
Benefit Enquiry Line for People with Disabilities
0800 882200, Mon - Fri 8.30am to 6.30pm , Sat 9.00 – 1.00
Carers UK
0808 808 7777 Wednesdays & Thursdays, 10 am to 12 pm, 2pm to 4pm.
Help The Aged Seniorline
0808 800 6565 from 9 am to 4 pm
Pension Credit Helpline
0800 991234, 8.00- 8.00, Sat 9.00-1.00
The Pensions Service
0845 606 0265 from 8.30am to 4pm
Nottinghamshire County Council Welfare Rights Advice Line
0845 601 5943 from 11am to 1pm each week day to leave messages. Calls are returned the same day in the afternoon.