Secrets of Essex almshouses

Bestowing unique and charming, yet affordable housing to the elderly for 1,000 years, Denise Marshall takes a closer look at the historic significance of the humble almshouse.

Published in the June 22 Essex Life magazine and online on 29th June 2022, Denise explores the almshouses dotted around Essex, finds out more about the long history of almshouses and who lives in them today. The article also includes and interview with Nick Phillips, CEO of The Almshouse Association.

To read the article, please click on the links below:

posted July 22

Registered Providers Network

The Almshouse Association’s Registered Providers Network met on 25th May 2022 to discuss challenges facing this part of the membership.

The agenda included:

  • Challenge of decarbonisation
  • Threats of changes to social housing regulation
  • Recruitment of trustees

We would like to thank all members for participating. If you have any suggestions for discussions at future meetings, then please get in touch with Jack Baldan via jackbaldan@almshouses.org.

A recording of the session can be found here.

Posted 26 May 22

Training: ARC TV Licences

Free Training: Accommodation for Residential Care TV Licences

TV Licensing has recently provided training for almshouse trustees on accessing the Accommodation for Residential Care (ARC) TV License. This came after a number of members had experienced difficulties in accessing the licence for their residents.

TV Licensing provides the following guidance on ARC TV licence eligibility:

“These concessionary licences apply to:

– Care/nursing homes – registered with the CQC or Care Inspectorate in Scotland.
– Sheltered accommodation/supported living.
– Almshouses.
The licence enables those living there to pay a flat £7.50 a year for their licence. To qualify they need to be aged over 60 (and either retired or working less than 15 hours a month) or be registered disabled. The presentation is roughly 15 minutes long, if you have any follow up questions please do contact Dan Cooper at the details provided on the presentation.

The Almshouse Association took them up on their offer and following the successful training session we have been provided with resources which should help members with this process. The slides provide an overview of eligibility as well as making applications and renewals. It is specifically tailored to almshouses and so should prove a useful resource for all those handling ARC licences.

Our thanks to Dan Cooper, Senior Communications Specialist at  TV Licensing for sending us the presentation. He is also happy to be contacted at daniel.cooper@bbc.co.uk in case anyone has any questions or would like to book a training session.

  • The slides can be found here.
  • Video link can be found here

posted 16 May 22

Building Safety Act 2022

The Building Safety Act (BSA) received Royal Assent in April and brings in a number of new provisions for the build environment following the Grenfell Tower fire.

The BSA works alongside the Fire Safety Act which also received Royal Assent in 2021. Most of the provisions of the Act are unlikely to impact most existing almshouses. Members who are undertaking a new building project are likely to have to consider some of the additional responsibilities placed on those involved in the building process.

The Act introduced a number of key provisions:

  • A Building Safety Regulator whose role is to enforce tougher regulations on buildings of 18m and over. The regulator will also look at safety standards in buildings of all heights.
  • Changes to fire safety laws which places additional requirements on Responsible Persons.
  • Changes to who is responsible for paying to fix building safety issues, i.e. the developer.
  • Extension of the Defective Premises Act, allowing building owners to claim against a contractor for defective work. This has been extended to 30 years for work completed prior to the Act coming into force, future work will have 15 years.
  • The Defective Premises Act will also be extended to include refurbishment and other work to existing buildings, so that contractors who undertake any work on a building will be required to ensure buildings are fit for habitation once work is completed.
  • Buildings below 11m and deemed to need remediation will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
  • Formal responsibilities are placed on those involved in the design, construction, and refurbishment of any building, placing greater powers on the regulator to prosecute non-compliance.

The new provisions will be introduced over the next 18 months.

The Government has produced several detailed factsheets which can be found here.

posted 24 May 22

Solar Farm Opportunities

The Almshouse Association has recently held discussions with Centrica, the parent company of British Gas, to explore the possibility of almshouse charities using their surplus land for solar farms or other green energy developments.

Centrica are currently looking to help members in this area which could provide an alternative funding stream for the charity, with the potential to use their land for solar farms and battery storage.

The charity would need to have access to either:

  • 75 acres+ for solar farms
  • 2-5 acres for battery storage

For either development, the land would need to be near a good grid connection.

If you are interested, you will need to provide the following information so that Centrica can check the suitability of the land:

  • the amount of land you would be looking to lease out
  • any existing energy solutions on the site (solar, windmills etc)
  • a company name that you trade under (likely just your charity name)
  • who would be involved in the decision-making for leasing out the site
  • a postcode for the land or some indicator of the land should it not be where the charity is based
  • whether there is a grid connection that you know of nearby or on the land and the capacity of it, if you know this
  • whether you have been in touch with other companies previously for a similar interest in the land.

The Almshouse Association continues to look for opportunities for members to make their charities more sustainable both environmentally and financially. We are working with a number of partners, including The National Trust and Historic England to provide suitable guidance in this area. The Association is not endorsing Centrica as a preferred partner and so members should also consider whether other energy providers may be looking to make similar investments. Members will also need to consider their own governing documents, local views and planning issues connected with these types of developments. 

Interested members can provide the above information to Jack Baldan via admin@almshouses.org or alternatively can get in touch with Simon Jobson via simon.jobson@centrica.com.    

Posted 24 April 22

Almshouses in Country Life magazine

Almshouses: What they are, how they were created and why they’re still relevant in the 21st century.

The Almshouse Association is delighted to see almshouses and their important role in the 21st century highlighted by Clive Aslet,  writer, publisher and Visiting Professor of Architecture at the University of Cambridge, in Country Life magazine on 13 March 22.

A wonderful five page spread with stunning photographs takes the reader on a journey through the monastic beginning of almshouses to the present day, as well as exploring the history of Winchester’s Hospital of St Cross almshouses, founded in 1132.

The admissions process involved – as it still does – an interview with the master, followed by two nights at the hospital, to assess whether the applicant would fit in. Once accepted, the new arrival spends six months as a postulant, before being admitted as a full brother. ‘I loved being at Oxford, living in medieval buildings,’ discloses Brother Bevis. ‘The other day, I was looking at the great row of chimneys at St Cross and thinking how lucky I was to live in such harmonious surroundings. My rooms date from 1445 and there is a graffito that one of the brothers carved in 1512.’ Time past and time present, as T. S. Eliot might have said, are both contained in the future of Britain’s flourishing almshouses’. Clive Aslet

If you would like to read the full article, we have scanned a copy which can be accessed by clicking in the link below.

https://www.almshouses.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Country-Life-9-March-21.pdf

posted 22 Mar 22

Is now the time for a new wave of almshouses for refugees?

Events in Ukraine are a disturbing reminder of how easy it is for people to suddenly lose their homes as a result of war or persecution. Over the years there have been all too many cases where people have been forced to flee their homes, whether that be from Afghanistan, Syria or many others and, unfortunately, we know that this is unlikely to be the last time we see people having to fleeing from their homes and their country.

Could the almshouse model provide new stability for housing refugees?

Nick Phillips, CEO of The Almshouse Association considers how the model could benefit those fleeing Ukraine and other conflicts and asks if the time is right to time to build a new generation of almshouses for todays displaced persons.

“For centuries almshouses have been the safe, warm refuge for those in need of a home and community. Traditionally almshouses have been provided by philanthropists for those in the community most at need at the time. Those founders have often seen a need in their parish, town or even specific industry. The founders of almshouses may have seen a housing need amongst widows of the parish, miners, soldiers or fishermen. All the benefactors identified and enshrined in the founders wishes for centuries.

I wonder if todays philanthropist may see the local need reflect the global changes afoot? Families fleeing desperate situations in Afghanistan, Syria and now Ukraine, having gained rights to remain in the community, may be today’s most desperate families and there is no better home and sanctuary than the almshouse community.

Almshouses have survived with their founders’ intentions because they are uniquely protected. They are the oldest charities and the oldest form of community housing going back 1,000 years even to the original 7 of acts mercy that include giving shelter to the traveller.

Philanthropists have always stepped forward during crisis to establish new almshouses from the plight of their fellow man during plague, Civil War, Industrial Revolution, Poor Laws, World Wars and now perhaps we see the plight of refugees needing a safe secure community over the long term.

An almshouse charity established today could be providing homes for refugees in housing need for hundreds of years to come; over its lifetime an almshouse could change the lives of thousands of people in need of a safe place to live.

Almshouses offer a proven community housing model for which it seems there is a growing, desperate need for. Anyone looking to establish a new almshouse charity or seeking to expand their current provision can reach out to The Almshouse Association for advice on how to achieve this. 

We may not be able to replace everything that these people have lost, but almshouse charities can provide a strong foundation from which to rebuild through the provision of a stable home.”

as featured in ‘Inside Housing’ Comment 17 03 22

Posted 17 Mar 2022

Covid restrictions end

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced that the remaining Coronavirus restrictions will be removed from law starting on February 24th 2022.

Changes include:

  • Legal requirement to self-isolate following a positive covid-19 test will end. 
  • Self-isolation support payments will also end, although confirmed that SSP covid provisions could be claimed for a further month. 
  • Signalled the end of routine contact tracing and Government would no longer ask vaccinated close contacts and under 18s to test daily for 7 days.
  • Legal requirement to self-isolate will end for close contacts not fully vaccinated. 
  • Until 1 April the Government will still advise people testing positive to stay at home, but following this date would encourage those with covid-19 symptoms to exercise personal responsibility. 
  • From 1 April, free symptomatic and asymptomatic testing for the general public will end. However, free symptomatic tests would continue to be available for the most vulnerable and oldest age groups.
  • From 1 April, Government will no longer recommend the use of voluntary covid status certification. 
  • Confirmation that all remaining 20 temporary provisions of the Coronavirus Act would expire. 

The Prime Minister also announced that the Government had accepted JCVI advice for a spring booster to those most vulnerable to covid to protect against potential resurgence. 

These changes only apply to England.

Posted 22 Feb 22

Care alarm systems – is yours up to date?

Almshouse charities around the country do an excellent job of supporting those in need, especially when you consider the unique challenges they face, often occupying traditional or listed buildings.  With technology progressing so rapidly, it is so important to ensure  your almshouse’s personal alarm system is still sufficient in 2022.  With the digital telephone switchover fast approaching, it has never been more important to think ahead.

The current analogue phone networks rely on physical components like copper wires to carry voice signals between users.  This system is known as PSTN, or Public Switch Telephone Network.  When you make a call, switches in the network create a circuit between the caller and recipient.  The worldwide network is now almost entirely digital, meaning that only the oldest sections still use analogue technology.  This digital network, known as ISDN, has all but replaced PSTN.  However, even these digital calls still depend upon the old PSTN circuits.  The current system is undeniably ageing.  Due to more complex demands, the network is struggling to keep up.  To meet the growing need, BT plans to retire both PSTN and ISDN by the end of 2025.  This technology is called VoIP, or Voice over Internet Protocol.  It allows users to make telephone calls via an internet connection.  This system offers many benefits to users, including cheaper calls and faster connections, particularly over long distances. 

If you are still using pull-cord alarms or other outdated systems, it is probably time for an upgrade to a newer, future proof system.  Pendant alarms are a reliable, cost-effective solution to keep your residents safe. Users can choose to wear the pendant on a discreet wrist strap or a comfortable neck cord. Whenever they need assistance, they simply press the pendant button.  A 24-Hour Monitoring Team will respond within seconds and arrange whatever assistance is needed. The pendants are waterproof for use in the bath or shower and, crucially, they are built to last.  A standard pendant has a 7-year battery life plus an impressive range of 100 meters from the alarm base unit.  Other types of devices, such as fall detectors, smoke detectors and GPS-enabled alarms offer even greater reassurance.  

So if you have not updated your system in years, you probably need to act soon. With the digital telephone switchover, scheduled for completion by 2025, its likely the equipment in your almshouse use an analogue connection and will therefore be impacted by the switchover.  But do not worry, the good news is that updating your system is quicker and easier than ever.  

This article was supplied by Careline365. Their contact details are free phone 01603 964306 or via email at keyaccounts@careline.co.uk

First posted April 21, reposted February 22

New Windows for Latham almshouses

Latham Almshouses kindly shared with the Association and members the challenges they came up against getting double glazing into a listed building and how they were successfully overcome.

“The Latham Almshouses date back to 1500 and were Grade II listed in August 1972. There are ten terraced houses, eight with one bedroom and two with two bedrooms. They are managed by Lathom Almshouse Charity who provide homes for older people and people with disabilities.

In May 2019, the trustees decided that they would replace all the front windows, which were in poor condition and single glazed, with new double glazed units as recommended in the Quinquennial inspection 2018 report.

The Almshouse Clerk, Stuart Cunningham obtained specifications from a number of window manufactures who supplied hardwood windows with sliding sash windows. He also contacted the local council to arrange a meeting on site with one of their building inspectors to discuss the new windows.

In Oct 2019 the inspector agreed that the new windows could be double glazed, however, he wanted the middle window to slide. Stuart informed him that all the sliding windows were sealed up or broken and he would prefer to fit an opening middle window as it would be easier to open and close for the elderly residents who had reported that were finding it difficult to open the sliding middle window. Sadly the building inspector insisted on a sliding middle window.

Stuart contacted The Almshouse Association for some help with this issue who were very helpful and supplied Stuart with a letter in support the trustees revised planning application.

Due to Covid-19, no further correspondents were undertaken until mid-2020 when Stuart was informed that the previous building inspector had left and a new one had been appointed. When he met with the new building inspector he informed Stuart that the new windows could not be double glazed and would have to have secondary glazing retro fitted.

Following the meeting Stuart met with the trustees and discussed the new building inspector’s requirements. It was decided that a company who specialise in planning matters should be appointed to a revised planning application. Wallis & Co were appointed by Stuart, they produced the revised planning application, which they submitted to the council along with the letter of support from the Association. Planning permission was finally approved in December 2020.

Stuart obtained three updated quotes from local window manufactures and a meeting of the trusties was held in April 2021 to decide on the manufacturer. Southbank Joinery were appointed to manufacture the windows from Accoya timber.

The council asked for one new window to be installed before they gave permission for all the windows to be installed. This was done in November 2021 and following a visit by the building inspector he gave the go ahead to install the remaining ten windows.

Sadly due to Covid-19 a shortage of glass in the UK delayed the installation, five windows were installed in December 2021, with the rest are due to be installed by the end of January 2022, weather permitting!”

Thank you for sharing your experience Latham Almshouses. Well done for your perseverance !
If you have a story you would like to share with members about overcoming planning/renovation obstacles, please do get in touch.

Posted 3 February 2022