Homeless Link
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Homeless Link releases guidance on addressing the needs of older homeless people

Homeless Link has designed guidance to help local areas to tackle the issue of older people living inappropriately in temporary accommodation or precariously housed and to share examples of where local authorities and providers have been addressing the needs of this group.

The guidance is aimed at commissioners of housing and support services for homeless people and commissioners of longer term housing care and support for older people. It is also aimed at providers of services in the homeless sector looking to move on older people from hostels and providers of retirement housing addressing the needs of a client group that may be unfamiliar and different to their traditional client group.Representatives from the CLG and the DH have been involved in the steering group on this project and have both commended the guidance to local authorities and their partners.
 

Jeremy Porteus, National Programme Lead - Housing, Department of Health said, "Older homeless people are a marginalised client group. This guidance from Homeless Link encourages the sort of integrated approach across the different sectors of housing, housing related support, health, and care which the Department of Health sees as vital. We commend it to local authorities and their partners interested in developing better joint commissioning and forging solutions that meet the needs of this vulnerable group."

A spokesperson from CLG said, "We commend the use of this valuable guidance to providers and commissioners in the older people and the homeless sector. Older homeless people are a particularly vulnerable group and yet older people’s accommodation and support strategies are often produced with no mention of homeless people. The guidance highlights the specific issues that need considering when planning to tackle older people's homelessness and draws on case studies from across the country where providers and commissioners are improving services for this group."

You can read the full guidance here.

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