Hot off the press: HLINks – a kaleidoscope of latest sector news, views and essential resources
Welcome to Jeremy talks and my weekly piece to audio to coincide with the Housing LIN's free weekly bulletin, HLINks, week ending Friday, 18 September 2020.
From Monday this week, the government latest rules for social gatherings in England took effect with variations for other parts of the United Kingdom. We have updated our Covid-19 Practice Briefing (No1) for extra care housing and retirement housing operators accordingly.
In other news, it is #ForAccessibleHomes week, an initiative championed by Habinteg Housing Association to raise awareness of the lack of accessible homes in the UK. We are a proud supporter of the campaign and, to coincide, we held our 2nd HAPPI Hour webinar yesterday, putting the spotlight on designing HAPPI accessible housing with PRP Architects. And, staying with design, we also published a new Housing LIN Cyrmu case study on Linc Cymru’s new extra care scheme and independent living bungalows in Tondu and Maesteg by architects, Quattro.
The TCPA also launched the final version of the Healthy Homes Bill for England this week. This sets out suggested legislation for Government planning policy to adopt a holistic approach to delivering new homes which actively work to improve health and wellbeing. You can read about this and a round-up of other relevant news and events on later life living with regard to homes and communities, dementia, health and social care, design and technology, other planning matters and more in this comprehensive bulletin.
Check it out and register here to keep in touch with our news alerts and other notifications of your choice, sent direct to your inbox. And remember you can also follow us via our Twitter feeds@HousingLIN, @HousingLINews and @HLINConsult.
Lastly, if you would like to talk to us about any matters highlighted, share learning about your work and/or discuss how our consultancy services can assist you, email ‘Jeremy talks’ at: info@housinglin.org.uk
You can also listen to Jeremy talks… here
Best wishes and stay connected and be safe,
Jeremy
This week’s Housing LIN case study
Taking extra care in lockdown
This new Housing LIN Cymru case study features Linc Cymru Housing Association’s developments in Tondu and Maesteg, Wales. Written by Andy Tansill (Quattro Design Architects) and with contributions from Linc Cymru’s Trude Davis and Richard Sheehan, it provides some context on why and how the scheme came about, reflects on its’ design and also captures how the scheme has coped under lockdown, successfully ensuring a Covid-free home to date.
Housing LIN Covid-19 Practice Briefing updated
With the new government rules on social gathering indoors and outdoors coming into force on Monday this week, we have updated our Coronavirus Practice Briefing No1 for the sector.
Coronavirus Update
Check out on our Coronavirus Info Hub for a range of Housing LIN practice briefings for the sector and links to other useful information and websites. Also, post or reply to questions on our discussion forum. It allows you to share information, raise issues and ask questions to solve a tricky issue. For example, can you share your organisation’s COVID-19 risk plan in preparation for the 2nd wave or information about how you are engaging with residents?
In this week's news:
- Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government updated guidance: COVID-19: Guidance for the safe use of multi-purpose community facilities
- Department of Health and Social Care letter: Actions required to prevent rise in coronavirus cases in the care sector
- Department of Health and Social Care Press release: More than £500 million for social care to reduce coronavirus transmission over winter
- Care Quality Commission major report: COVID-19 Insight: Issue 4
- Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government updated guidance: Next Steps Accommodation Programme
Housing, Community, Disability, and Ageing
#ForAccessibleHomes YouGov poll findings Habinteg Housing Association have shared the finding of research that found inaccessible housing made lockdown significantly harder for many disabled UK adults. In particular, almost one in four disabled people (24%) do not have a home that meets their access needs.
In other news:
- National Housing Federation report: People In Housing Need A comprehensive analysis of the scale and shape of housing need in England today
Opinion pieces and blogs:
- #ForAccessibleHomes blog by Jacquel Runnalls, Specialist Housing Occupational Therapists, London Borough of Wandsworth Regeneration Team: Ensuring a person-centred approach to providing accessible and inclusive homes
- #ForAccessibleHomes blog by Aileen Evans, president of the Chartered Institute of Housing and chief executive at Grand Union Housing Group: Everyone deserves a place they can truly call home
Design, Construction and Technology
- Tunstall Healthcare report: Connecting services, transforming lives: the benefits of technology enabled care services
- LGA digital report: Digital innovation in adult social care: how we’ve been supporting communities during COVID-19
- AKW: Wheelchair Guide for Accessible Bathroom
- SFHA: Inclusive Living Toolkit: Inclusive Living Evidence Review
Opinion pieces and blogs
- AT Today article: The importance of smart home technology and collaboration in the ‘next normal’
- MySense on YouTube: The MySense Solution Explained
- Radfield Homecare article: The benefits of investment in Home Care Technology
Health and Care
- DHSC guidance: Actions for adult social care providers and local authorities to prepare for 1 January 2021
- Independent Age report: Credit where it's due
Opinion pieces and blogs
- NCF blog: The Clock is Ticking
Dementia
- Research into Practice report: Support for carers of people living with dementia
Housing and Dementia
It’s World Alzheimer’s Month and, to coincide, the 2nd virtual inquiry session of the APPG on Housing and Care for Older People Inquiry on the housing experiences of people living with dementia takes place this coming Monday, 21 September. While the current call for evidence is formally closed, do email us any examples of innovative practice at: dementia@housinglin.org.uk
Planning
Following the publication of the government’s Planning for the Future White Paper last month, the TCPA launched the final version of the Healthy Homes Bill for England with a suggested legislation for Government planning policy to adopt a holistic approach to delivering new homes which actively work to improve health and wellbeing. The Bill offers the government a powerful way to promote good place-making and design by introducing the ‘healthy homes principles’ in law, which will define what constitutes a healthy home and neighbourhood.
We are pleased to support the TCPA’s campaign. You can also hear more about the Bill at our HAPPI Hour on 15 October.
Planning tracker
Older People’s Care Development – Local Development Plan Monitoring
In association with Tetlow King Planning, this document monitors current local authority planning consultations that may be of interest for those seeking to develop housing for older people. The tracker is updated fortnightly.
Wales
Welsh government guidance on COVID-19 can be found at: https://gov.wales/coronavirus
As highlighted above, Housing LIN Cymru have published a new report about Linc Cymru’s extra care schemes in Tondu and Maesteg and how they have managed during lockdown and even successfully ensuring a Covid-free home to date!
Scotland
Scottish government guidance on COVID-19 can be found at https://www.gov.scot/collections/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance/
And, as highlighted above, to coincide with #ScottishHousingDay, the SFHA have published an evidence report and toolkit on Inclusive Living.
Housing LIN resumes networking events this month – join us for HAPPI Hour
The Housing LIN’s exciting new virtual platform offers chance to resume networking and stay connected with latest policy and practice developments, and recent publications and research findings. We have now held of our autumn HAPPI Hour programme this month and one more to go next Thursday (24 September) on Supported Housing. And also check out our new October HAPPI Hour programme. Drinks not included!
Forthcoming Housing LIN HAPPI Hours
- HAPPI Hour - Supported housing: transforming the housing choices for people with complex needs (24 September)
- HAPPI Hour - Stopping Ageism: Homes for the lifecourse (1 October)
- HAPPI Hour – Designing for Inclusion: ensuring we have the right tools at our disposal (8 October)
- HAPPI Hour - Planning: grand challenge on healthy ageing (15 October)
- HAPPI Hour - Health starts at home (29 October)
Other events
We are pleased to be involved/support the following virtual events:
- SFHA: Virtual Development Conference (17 September)
- ULI later living –housing with care digital events (24 September and 8 October)
- Planning for the future: what are the implications for retirement and supported living? Free breakfast event (29 September)
- Appello - 4 enablers to a better living experience in supported housing (8 October)
- Healthy City Design 2020: International Congress & Exhibition (12 to 13 October)
- HRF Academic Conference - Happy Homes, Happy Society? (12 to 13 November)
Next week
Next week we look forward to releasing our latest A-Z. This one takes an alphabetical look at intergenerational and community-led housing projects, such as cohousing developments, where one of the words in the scheme name begins with a letter of the alphabet.
The Housing LIN would like to thank Willmott Dixon for their support in producing this newsletter.