Service User Area

People who are already using a Supporting People service. People who think that they, or someone they care for, may need a service in the future.

What kinds of support are provided in Sunderland?

There are currently 119 services being provided in Sunderland including:

• Purpose built sheltered housing schemes for older people
• Good Neighbourhood schemes for older people, these allow people to remain in their own homes with support being provided
• Supported housing for young people
• teenage parents
• people with a learning disability
• people with mental health issues
• homeless people
• people with a physical disability
• ex-offenders
• people with drug and alcohol issues
• women fleeing domestic violence

Support within a person's own tenancy for

• young people
• people with a learning disability
• ex-offenders
• people with drug and alcohol issues
• people whose tenancies are at risk
• people who require support to maintain a tenancy
• Care alarm services; most of these have a visiting warden service attached
• Home Improvement Agency: provide some assistance for people in need to repair, improve, maintain or adapt their home
  

What does Supporting People pay for?

It can only pay for what is called 'housing related support'

These are the kinds of tasks that will assist a person to get their own tenancy and to gain and maintain independence.

How is support provided?

Sunderland Supporting People has contracts with 26 service providers. There is a contract for each service and a grant is paid that is linked to the type and level of service and the number of units provided. The Supporting People team reviews and monitors the services to make sure that these are of a good standard and value for money. People using services are involved in the reviews and can talk to the Supporting People staff when they visit.
To tell us what you think about services go to Service User Involvement or Contact us

Will I have to pay?

In usual circumstances Supporting People services that are short term (less than two years) do not have a charge. In long term services people are exempt if they are in receipt of Housing Benefit otherwise they undergo a financial assessment to see if they can get any help with the charge.

In Sunderland all support charges for Supporting People services were suspended from April 2006. This is a temporary arrangement and will be reviewed after 31st March 2011.

Therefore no one currently in these services should be paying a support charge to either the City Council or their support provider. (NB this does not apply to charges for other services such as Home Support or Day Care).

How can I find out more about Supporting People services in Sunderland?

Information about all our services can be found on our Service Directory page
If you would like information about services in other areas you can use the National Directory of Services .

How can I comment about services?

If you would like information on making a comment or complaint about Supporting People services in Sunderland please read our Complaints and Appeals Procedure (196kb) pdf

If you wish to speak to someone about any of the Supporting People services in Sunderland please contact:

Katy Gill
Review and Monitoring Officer

Sunderland Supporting People Team
Health, Housing and Adult Services

PO Box 102

Civic Centre
Burdon Road
Sunderland
SR2 7DN

Tel: 0191 5611196
Mail to: supportingpeople@sunderland.gov.uk

Helping us to make Supporting People better document (524kb) pdf

For information on how to make a complaint about any City Council service http://www.sunderland.gov.uk/

Contact us

Glossary Page

Back to the top of the page