ERoSH committee members from left: Heather Smyth, Jim Chapman, Cherry Greer, Rebecca Mollart CEO ERoSH. Ellen Hall, Roisin Manley & Helen CollinsApex Host ERoSH 2017 Annual General Meeting
Erosh (Emerging Role of Supported Housing) the national consortium for older people’s housing and support held its AGM at Apex on Friday 16th of June 2017.
Rebecca Mollart, Erosh CEO presented ‘Celebrating Sheltered and Retirement Housing’ She explained the role of Erosh which aims to raise awareness of the value and benefits of older people’s housing and support. It celebrates housing with support for older people and promotes sheltered/retirement housing schemes.
Rebecca also went on to explain why we should be celebrating sheltered and retirement housing. Sheltered housing saves money for the public purse by preventing hospital admissions/readmissions and reduces length of hospital stays. It improves the health, well-being, and quality of life of its tenants. Sheltered Housing prevents loneliness and social isolation and provides peace of mind, security and safety, and independence
Following Rebecca’s presentation Ben Collins from the Northern Ireland Federation for Housing Associations (NIFHA) commended the good work of sheltered housing providers. He urged sheltered housing providers to lobby the government and highlight the negative impacts of the recently announced 5% cut across the board in supporting people funding by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, which is a loss of nearly £3m.
every £1 invested in Supporting People saves the public sector £1.90
He said: “While there should be reform on an ongoing basis, this needs to be evidenced based and done by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE) in consultation with service providers. The health bodies involved in jointly commissioned schemes should also be involved in this reform process. Research has shown that every £1 invested in Supporting People saves the public sector £1.90. This is about protecting the most vulnerable in society and getting a good return on public investment.”
The Supporting People budget is administered by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive to help providers supply housing-related support to around 26,000 vulnerable people.
Supporting People offers housing-related help to vulnerable people so they can improve their quality of life and maintain their independence.
Supporting People Providers like those that provide sheltered housing are already financially stretched in providing the service as it stands and this cut is likely to have an impact on the services that can be provided.
