The Almshouse Association Annual General Meeting

Our seventy-second AGM will take place on 15th June 2023 between 9.30am and 9.45am at 1 Great George Street, Westminster, London SW1P 3AA, prior to the start of Member Day 2023

The Almshouse Association Annual General Meeting covers the main business and accounts of The Almshouse Association and is open to all member charities and Associate Members. The nominated representative for each member charity is invited to cast their vote. One vote per member charity.

• If you would like to attend, please confirm your attendance by emailing admin@almshouses.org
• If you are attending The Almshouse Association Members Day 2023, you do not need to confirm your attendance to the AGM
• If you are unable to attend, but wish to make a proxy vote, please email admin@almshouses.org

AGENDA – click here to download invitation and agenda

• Reflection on 2022
• Acceptance of Minutes of the seventy-first Almshouse Association AGM held on Wednesday 15 June 2022 9.45-10.10am at Grand Station, Sun Street, Wolverhampton WV10 0BF.
• Election of Board Members (Article 32 states that each Board member can serve for a maximum of three terms of three years then must retire and seek reappointment through voting procedure).
• Presentation and Adoption of the 2022 Annual Report and Accounts (these will be posted here when finalised)
• Appointment of Auditor
• Any Other Business

posted 30 January 23

The Almshouse Association’s response to the Government consultation Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill: Reforms to the National Planning Policy.

A once in a decade opportunity to address a gross imbalance of opportunity for almshouse charities; The Secretary of State has opened a consultation to review aspects of the Levelling up Bill and has asked us directly if we will respond to an issue that we have been driving for change, Section 106.

Many members will have heard Almshouse Association CEO Nick Phillips challenge government departments on the wording of the eligible affordable housing aspect of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) surrounding section 106. Currently, the definition of “affordable housing” excludes almshouse charities unless registered as Regulated Social Housing (a regulation that brings its own challenges).

In this consultation paper the Secretary of State has identified our concerns and we feel it is absolutely right that we take this opportunity to respond vigorously and clearly to change the definition of affordable housing to include almshouses.

Please see our draft response here and I would welcome any feedback before we officially issue our response on 25 February 2023.

Success – review of Sec 32 Social Housing Bill.

The Association has just received confirmation concerning the terms of clause 32 of The Social Housing Bill where it was stated that the Regulator may take action in the case of charities that are not Registered Providers. It has been confirmed that this will now only affect Regulated Housing Providers and NOT charities that are simply trusts and are non-registered.

This is a great relief for many members; not that they fear the Regulator interests, rather that they fear loss of their independent charity status.

We would like to thank all parties in helping making this “clarification” in the amended Bill.

posted 30 January 2023

News summary of the latest Policy and Governance legislation that could impact and/or may require action from our member charities, with links to further information where applicable.

Government has been busy in the New Year. We are currently responding to a number of key consultations and papers from DLUC.

• Social Housing and Regeneration Bill – Reforms are being introduced to the National Planning Policy Framework. As many of you will have found, the NPPF guidance includes a definition of affordable housing that excludes the almshouse model. Interestingly, The Almshouse Association is referenced in the bill! It is encouraging that Association members and our supporters in the APPG, together with the team here, have been able to make we have made our concerns apparent, although there is still work to be done and we will be responding clearly and robustly on your behalf seeking amendments to the affordable housing definition to include almshouses. 
• We are continuing our dialogue with The Regulator of Social Housing, DLUC and the Charity Commission with regards to our concerns about the Social Housing and Regeneration Bill, the requirement for almshouses seeking funding from Homes England to become Regulated (RSL) and the increasing processes around regulation. We will, of course, keep you updated on progress on all matters.

Standards of Almshouse Management

The 2023 version of The Almshouse Association Standards of Almshouse Management has now been published and can be accessed here. We consulted with The Charity Commission, the Regulator of Social Housing and The National Housing Federation on the contents of the manual, all of whom have responded positively and their feedback has been invaluable.

Historic England

Historic England has completed the first draft of the guidance note on almshouses. The guidance is aimed at Historic Building Officers and almshouse managers, and we hope to be able to share the draft and seek further comments from members shortly. We are very grateful to Historic England, Association members and our team of architects and surveyors on our Panel of Consultants for providing their expertise and hands-on experience in the collation of this guidance.

RECORD OF PREVIOUS 2022 Policy and Governance updates:

Posted 25 January 2025

The Energy Bills Support Scheme – £400 Non-payable Discount to Eligible Households to Help with Energy Bills.

We have been asked to remind members of the important government update with regards to guidance on the Energy Bill Relief Scheme and the requirement to pass on support to residents.

The following links apply:

• Guidance on the Energy Bill Relief Scheme pass-through requirements for heat networks in the UK – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
• Guidance on the pass-through requirements for energy price support provided to intermediaries – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Posted 23 January 2023

£3 million available for charities and community groups through Ofgem Energy Redress Scheme

Deadline for applications: 5pm on 30^th January 2023

The Ofgem Energy Industry Voluntary Redress Scheme (Energy Redress Scheme) is open for the third funding round of phase two of the scheme.

A total of £3 million is available as grants to charities and community energy groups that support households most at risk from cold homes and high energy bills, or that work on innovation and carbon emissions reduction across England, Scotland and Wales.

Ofgem’s enforcement and compliance activity collects voluntary payments from companies that may have breached Ofgem administered rules.

Energy Saving Trust manages the allocation of payments for the scheme, which has been in place for four years.

The priorities of the scheme are to support energy consumers in vulnerable situations, develop innovative products or services and empower consumers to reduce their carbon emissions.

To December 2022, the Energy Redress Scheme has funded 404 projects across England, Scotland and Wales and awarded over £55.8 million in funding. These projects have included:

• Impartial energy advice services supporting vulnerable people.
• Using digital media to engage (hard-to-reach) audiences with energy issues and give them information about the support that is available to them.
• Research projects aimed at ensuring that the needs of elderly people and disabled people are met by new energy technologies.
• Boosting the supply chain of retrofit professionals and uptake of whole-house retrofits.
• Trialling new business models or interventions to enable households to use more locally generated energy.

Charities can apply for grants to deliver energy related projects through four different funding streams. Funding is also open to community energy groups, including community interest companies, co-operative societies and community benefit societies. These groups can apply to either the Carbon Emissions Reduction Fund or the Innovation Fund.

• The Main Fund contains £1.9 million. This is aimed at projects seeking grants between £50,000 and £300,000 that will support households in vulnerable situations.
• The Small Project Fund contains £200,000. This is aimed at projects seeking grants between £20,000 and £49,999 that will support households in vulnerable situations.
• The Innovation Fund contains £450,000. This is aimed at projects that will develop innovative products or services to benefit households. Applicants can apply for grants between £20,000 and £200,000.
• The Carbon Emissions Reduction Fund contains £450,000. This is aimed at projects that will reduce UK carbon emissions and empower households to reduce their carbon footprint. Applicants can apply for grants between £20,000 and £200,000.

There are 1,161 organisations already registered with the Energy Redress Scheme that can apply to the open rounds.

Organisations that have not yet registered with the scheme must do so 10 working days before the closure of the relevant fund to allow time for eligibility checks to take place. The deadline for applications is 5.00pm on 30 January 2023.

Further information on the scheme and the application process can be found at energyredress.org.uk  

Posted 17 January 2023

News summary of the latest Policy and Governance legislation that could impact and/or may require action from our member charities, with links to further information where applicable.

Further to our previous bulletin The Almshouse Association wanted to assure our members that we are in the process of preparing a detailed and carefully constructed response in terms of both the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill and the impact of the proposed reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework as well as the Social Housing Bill.

Submitting a robust, fully supported case in both respects is, of course, imperative if we are able to stand some chance of gaining success in these matters and please be assured that the Association is doing all possible in order to ensure that almshouses are neither overlooked nor misinterpreted in these important issues. As always, we will, of course, keep our members closely informed of any developments.       

You can help us with our case. If you can let us know if you have been deterred from developing because of either the requirement to be a regulated Housing Prover or because of the definition in the current NPPF we would love to hear from you. The more real examples we can give Government the greater the weight of our argument. Email nickphillips@almshouses.org

RECORD OF PREVIOUS 2022 Policy and Governance updates:

Posted 12 January 23

URGENT REMINDER

The email below, received from the Policy Officer of the National Housing Federation, is relevant to all those with a heat network (gas/electric). No doubt you have seen this before, but can I remind you that the deadline for returning this form is tomorrow, Friday 6 January 2023.

posted 5 January 23

The Government has published its Policy Statement on rents for Social Housing dated 14th December 2022. The following points are applicable to almshouses that are also registered providers:

• The Regulator for Social Housing has confirmed a Rent Cap of 7% with the exception of supported housing.
• Those providing supported housing remain subject to the rent increase cap of CPI + 1%. The table at para. 8 of Appendix A of the Policy Statement confirms the uprate for 2023-24 as:

CPI + 1% (10.1%+1%) = 11.1%.

• The Government’s Policy Statement on rents for social housing defines supported housing in Chapter 2 at 2.39, with a list at 2.40 and includes sheltered accommodation.
  
  Whilst the policy statement was updated to reflect the Government’s response to the consultation on rent increase caps, this did not affect definitions of supported housing. The full statement is available here

Definition of Supported Housing

Point 2.39 – In the policy statement, the term ‘supported housing’ means low-cost rental accommodation provided by a registered provider that:

(a) is made available only in conjunction with the supply of support;
(b) is made available exclusively to households including a person who has been identified as needing that support; and
(c) falls into one or both of the following categories:
(i) provides accommodation that has been designed, structurally altered or refurbished in order to enable residents with support needs to live independently; and
(ii) provides accommodation that has been designated as being available only to individuals within an identified group with specific support needs.

Point 2.40 – For the purposes of this definition, ‘support’ includes:

• sheltered accommodation
• extra care housing
• domestic violence refuges
• hostels for the homeless
• support for people with drug or alcohol problems
• support for people with mental health problems
• support for people with learning disabilities
• support for people with disabilities
• support for offenders and people at risk of offending
• support for young people leaving care
• support for teenage parents
• support for refugees

• The actual rent caps per bedroom size have also been published for 2023-24 (para 11 of the Policy Statement).
  • The 23-24 levels reflect an increase of CPI + 1.5% (11.6%) on the 2022-23 levels.

If your charity is unregistered i.e., not registered with the Regulator of Social Housing as a Registered Social Landlord, trustees have the scope to set the WMC at an appropriate level.

Guidance on setting a WMC can be found here.

posted 20 December 22