To confirm future delivery arrangements for the young persons’ housing related support services contract, currently delivered by SHYPP (Supported Housing for Young Persons Project ), part of West Mercia Housing Group.

To ensure cost effective delivery of housing related support services to vulnerable young people. The service has two elements; a floating support service throughout Herefordshire, where vulnerable young people receive housing related support services, and accommodation based support, comprising three ‘foyers’ with a total of 31 rooms (in Hereford, Leominster, and Ross on Wye), which provide integrated learning through safe and secure accommodation with housing related support and training.  

The introduction of Herefordshire Council’s allocations policy in July 2014 supported previous legislative changes and ensured that affordable housing is allocated to those in greatest need. Making a homeless application is no longer a direct route into affordable housing. The transition of SHYPP service users to permanent accommodation has increased following the implementation of the allocation policy, which has reduced the waiting list for support.

The transitional periods, in agreement with SHYPP, will establish the future model of service delivery and fully map existing service users and needs.  The transitional period will be for three months for the accommodation based remodelling and 12 months for the floating support, both running from 1 April 2016. The council will work closely with the provider to support the transition and ensure this is delivered to the timeframe.

The support service is continued under existing contractual arrangements; this option is not recommended as the efficiencies that have been identified and the proposed delivery arrangements are in line with approaches already in place with other housing related support services, which will support the cost effective provision of support to those with high needs.

The entire service is decommissioned; this option is not recommended as the accommodation based support contributes towards the council’s statutory homelessness duties by providing accommodation for those who are homeless or at risk of homelessness and variation to delivery has been identified to achieve savings whilst maintaining existing services to those in priority need level.