§ Mr. DrewTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the impact of the introduction of Supporting People; and whether a community care assessment will be required for residents living in a leasehold sheltered housing scheme in order for its Department to meet the costs of its scheme manager and allied arrangements attributed as "having related support" as part of their income support. [80019]
§ Mr. McNultyThe Supporting People programme, which will be operational from 1 April 2003, will improve the quality of housing related support services for vulnerable people. It will provide an integrated policy and funding framework for the comprehensive review of support needs in a local area and for planning how those needs will be met.
Those leaseholders in sheltered housing schemes who currently receive Income Support need to obtain a community care assessment in order for the costs of support to continue to be met. After 1 April, these costs will be paid from the Supporting People grant. Those people who receive Income Support and who move into leasehold housing schemes after 1 April will not need a community care assessment in order to receive Supporting People money. Local authorities are currently mapping providers of support services and, 634W after 1 April, leaseholders will be eligible for Supporting People money if they receive Income Support and are living in a scheme that has been mapped by local authorities as providing support services.
Guidance on how the Supporting People programme will apply to leaseholders was published in September and is available on the Supporting People knowledge web at: http://www.spkweb.org.uk/search/search—docdisplay.asp?doc—id = 10996