Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps he is taking to ensure that older people who are living in poverty receive an assessment from their local authorities to ensure that they are receiving all the support for which they are eligible.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Local Government Finance Settlement for 2022/23 makes available an additional £3.7 billion to councils, including funding for adult social care reform. This is an increase in local authority funding for 2022/23 of over 4.5% in real terms, which will ensure councils across the country have the resources they need to deliver key services.
The majority of this funding is unringfenced in recognition of local authorities being best placed to understand local priorities, including support for the elderly.
Specifically on social care, local authorities are responsible for assessing an individual's eligibility for care and support as set out in the Care Act and, where the individual is eligible for financial support, for meeting those needs. Where individuals are not eligible for financial support, local authorities will support them, should they require assistance, to make their own arrangements for care services.
Separately, the Government has revised and expanded the Pension Credit guide on the GOV.UK website to include clear information about the additional financial support available to people on Pension Credit. Over the coming weeks 11 million pensioners in Great Britain will receive information about Pension Credit in a leaflet accompanying their annual up-rating letter including prominent messaging that an award of Pension Credit can also open the door to a wide range of additional benefits - not only extra help with fuel costs, but also help with rent, council tax, certain health related costs and a free over-75 TV licence.
Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to the task force on housing for older people announced in the Levelling Up White Paper published in February 2022, what plans he has to reform the planning system to more clearly define different kinds of housing for older people.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
As part of the Levelling Up White Paper, we announced a new taskforce to look at ways we can provide more choice, better quality and greater security of housing for older people, and support the growth of a thriving older people's housing sector. This includes considering how to increase the supply of a range of specialist housing, including housing with care, across the country.
This work will be taken forward in partnership with the Department of Health and Social Care, building on the commitments set out in their recent white paper on adult social care reform.
The taskforce will examine barriers to increasing the supply of older peoples housing, as well as the issues older people face when it comes to considering their housing options in later life. This includes the role of the planning system in ensuring new development caters for a diverse range of housing needs. Further information on the taskforce will be announced soon.
Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether the task force on older people’s housing announced in the Levelling Up White Paper will focus on expanding the provision of housing-with-care and Integrated Retirement Communities.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
As part of the Levelling Up White Paper, we announced a new taskforce to look at ways we can provide more choice, better quality and greater security of housing for older people, and support the growth of a thriving older people's housing sector. This includes considering how to increase the supply of a range of specialist housing, including housing with care, across the country.
This work will be taken forward in partnership with the Department of Health and Social Care, building on the commitments set out in their recent white paper on adult social care reform.
The taskforce will examine barriers to increasing the supply of older peoples housing, as well as the issues older people face when it comes to considering their housing options in later life. This includes the role of the planning system in ensuring new development caters for a diverse range of housing needs. Further information on the taskforce will be announced soon.
Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether his Department has plans, through the task force on older people’s housing announced in the Levelling Up in the United Kingdom White Paper, to reform the planning system to define different kinds of housing for older people.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
As part of the Levelling Up White Paper, we announced a new taskforce to look at ways we can provide more choice, better quality and greater security of housing for older people, and support the growth of a thriving older people's housing sector. This includes considering how to increase the supply of a range of specialist housing, including housing with care, across the country.
This work will be taken forward in partnership with the Department of Health and Social Care, building on the commitments set out in their recent white paper on adult social care reform.
The taskforce will examine barriers to increasing the supply of older peoples housing, as well as the issues older people face when it comes to considering their housing options in later life. This includes the role of the planning system in ensuring new development caters for a diverse range of housing needs. Further information on the taskforce will be announced soon.
Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether the task force on older people’s housing announced in the Levelling Up in the United Kingdom White Paper plans to consider expanding the provision of housing-with-care and integrated retirement communities.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
As part of the Levelling Up White Paper, we announced a new taskforce to look at ways we can provide more choice, better quality and greater security of housing for older people, and support the growth of a thriving older people's housing sector. This includes considering how to increase the supply of a range of specialist housing, including housing with care, across the country.
This work will be taken forward in partnership with the Department of Health and Social Care, building on the commitments set out in their recent white paper on adult social care reform.
The taskforce will examine barriers to increasing the supply of older peoples housing, as well as the issues older people face when it comes to considering their housing options in later life. This includes the role of the planning system in ensuring new development caters for a diverse range of housing needs. Further information on the taskforce will be announced soon.
Asked by: Siobhain McDonagh (Labour - Mitcham and Morden)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether the task force on older people’s housing announced in his Department's Levelling Up the United Kingdom White Paper plans to explore appropriate tenure models for housing-with-care.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
As part of the Levelling Up White Paper, we announced a new taskforce to look at ways we can provide more choice, better quality and greater security of housing for older people, and support the growth of a thriving older people's housing sector. This includes considering how to increase the supply of a range of specialist housing, including housing with care, across the country.
This work will be taken forward in partnership with the Department of Health and Social Care, building on the commitments set out in their recent white paper on adult social care reform.
The taskforce will examine barriers to increasing the supply of older peoples housing, as well as the issues older people face when it comes to considering their housing options in later life. This includes the role of the planning system in ensuring new development caters for a diverse range of housing needs. Further information on the taskforce will be announced soon.
Asked by: Siobhain McDonagh (Labour - Mitcham and Morden)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether the task force on older people’s housing announced in the Levelling Up White Paper will include a focus on housing options which include CQC-regulated care provision onsite.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
As part of the Levelling Up White Paper, we announced a new taskforce to look at ways we can provide more choice, better quality and greater security of housing for older people, and support the growth of a thriving older people's housing sector. This includes considering how to increase the supply of a range of specialist housing, including housing with care, across the country.
This work will be taken forward in partnership with the Department of Health and Social Care, building on the commitments set out in their recent white paper on adult social care reform.
The taskforce will examine barriers to increasing the supply of older peoples housing, as well as the issues older people face when it comes to considering their housing options in later life. This includes the role of the planning system in ensuring new development caters for a diverse range of housing needs. Further information on the taskforce will be announced soon.
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds North West)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, when the new task force on older people’s housing announced in the Levelling Up White Paper will hold its first meeting.
Answered by Eddie Hughes
As part of the Levelling Up White Paper, we have now announced a new taskforce to look at ways we can provide greater choice, quality and security of housing for older people, and support the growth of a thriving older people's housing sector. This includes considering how to increase the supply of a range of specialist housing, including housing with care, across the country.
This work will be taken forwards in partnership with the Department of Health and Social Care, with secretariat provided by officials from both departments.
Further details regarding panel membership, as well as the timing and frequency of meetings will be confirmed in due course.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce financial incentives to make proposals for new housing care and support schemes more attractive to potential (1) developers, and (2) providers.
Answered by Lord Greenhalgh
Funding for housing support services is devolved to local authorities through the Local Government Settlement. Local authorities are best placed to make decisions on what local services they provide, based on local priorities and circumstances.
The Government provides capital grant funding to housing providers to help subsidise the new supply of affordable housing including specialist and supported housing. The new £11.5 billion Affordable Homes programme (2021-26) includes delivery within the programme for new supported housing for disabled, older and other vulnerable people.
We also committed in the adult social care reform white paper (People at the Heart of Care) to continue to incentivise the supply of supported housing, through the Care and Support Specialised Housing Fund with £213 million available over the next three years. This is alongside a new £300 million investment to embed the strategic commitment in all local places to connect housing with health and care, to boost the supply of supported housing and to increase local expenditure on services for those in supported housing.
As part of the Levelling Up White Paper, we have also now announced a new taskforce on the issue of older people's housing, which will look at ways we can provide greater choice, quality and security of housing for older people, and support the growth of a thriving older people's housing sector in this country.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to set up a task force to improve co-ordination between different departments on housing care and support policy.
Answered by Lord Greenhalgh
My Department works closely with the Department of Health and Social Care and the Department for Work and Pensions on both the quality and supply of all types of supported housing.
In relation to older people’s housing, as part of the Levelling Up White Paper we have now announced a new taskforce, which the Housing Minister will chair, to look at ways we can provide greater choice, quality and security of housing for older people, and support the growth of a thriving older people's housing sector in this country. This work will be taken forward in partnership with the Department of Health and Social Care, with the Minister for Care attending the taskforce panel and secretariat provided by officials from both departments.