The seventy-first Almshouse Association AGM was held on Wednesday 15 June 2022 9.45-10.10am at Grand Station, Sun Street, Wolverhampton WV10 0BF prior to the commencement of The Almshouse Association 2022 Members Day.

The AGM covered the main business and accounts of The Almshouse Association and was open to all member charities and Associate Members. The nominated representative for each member charity was invited to cast their vote. One vote per member charity.

Minutes: please click here

Posted 17 June 22

The Almshouse Association regularly posts a news summary of the latest Policy and Governance legislation that could impact/requires action from member charities, with links to further information where applicable.

Our latest update can be found below and previous updates are listed at the bottom of the page.

GOVERNMENT

• Social Housing Regulation Bill introduced to Parliament – The Social Housing Regulation Bill was introduced to Parliament on June 8^th. The Bill will look to introduce a number of measures already explored by the Association to reform social housing standards. These changes would only apply to Registered Providers of Social Housing in England.
  
  More information on the introduction of the Bill can be found here. 

• Government outlines timetable for Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund – Almshouse charities that are Registered Providers may be interested in applying for the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF) to help with improving energy efficiency. The Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy has now published an indicative timeline for how the second wave of the fund will be rolled out:

It should be noted that there are certain requirements which may make it difficult for individual almshouse charities to access this fund independently, such as the requirement to retrofit a minimum of 100 dwellings. This means it would be necessary to form consortiums to bid for funding. Members may wish to consider funding in one of the subsequent stages of the SHDF in the coming years and spend the next year developing relationships which could lead to consortiums.

More information on the SHDF can be found here.

• Consultation and call for evidence on electrical safety in the social rented sector – A consultation has opened on electrical safety standards in the social rented sector. The consultation concerns plans to introduce mandatory safety checks on electrical installations at a minimum of five-yearly intervals. This will mirror the requirement in the private rented sector, and mandatory Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) on all electrical appliances that are provided by social landlords as part of a tenancy. These proposed changes would affect almshouse charities who are also Registered Providers of Social Housing.
  
  Members should note that the Association already recommends that all members carry out the necessary safety checks on electrical installation every five years as part of quinquennial inspections.
  
  Members can contact the Association on this issue or respond on their own here.

WALES

• £4m fund announced to help with rising energy costs – Welsh Social Justice Minister Jane Hutt has launched a £4m fuel voucher scheme to help the most vulnerable households with the rising costs of energy bills. The scheme will target individuals on pre-payment meters and those not connected to the mains gas network.
  
  Vouchers ranging from £30 in summer months and £49 in winter will be provided up to three times over a six-month period.
  
  More information can be found here.

MISCELLANEOUS

• Research project investigates rural homelessness – The University of Kent is conducting research into rural homelessness and is seeking the views of those who provide housing to those in rural areas.
  
  Members operating in these areas may like to contribute and provide the insight of the almshouse movement. The survey can be found here.

RECORD OF PREVIOUS 2021/22 Policy and Governance updates:

posted 13 June 22

Association meets with DLUHC to discuss Social Housing Regulation Bill

The Almshouse Association recently met with representatives of the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to express our concerns regarding the proposed changes which are being considered as part of the Social Housing Regulation Bill.

Chief among these concerns is that the proposed reforms could impact upon the status of charitable housing and undermine the almshouse model. We also raised concerns from members who feel that the new requirements could add a significant burden to trustees who already devote so much of their time to ensuring their residents are looked after.

We were pleased to hear that the Department have been working with the Charity Commission and that currently there are no plans to supersede the role of the Commission. Instead, the proposed reforms would provide the Regulator of Social Housing with the ability to intervene in the case of failing providers, with the help of the Commission.

We were also pleased that there is currently no intention for the Regulator to extend its remit beyond Registered Providers. Moreover, they have stated that they will continue to consider how they can improve standards in smaller providers without creating an unnecessary burden.

The Association will continue to hold discussions with the Department to ensure that the voice of the almshouse movement is properly represented. We aim to ensure that all new legislation clearly recognises almshouses so that members are clear on their obligations.

posted 10 June 22

The Almshouse Association regularly posts a news summary of the latest Policy and Governance legislation that could impact/requires action from member charities, with links to further information where applicable.

Our latest update can be found below and previous updates are listed at the bottom of the page.

GOVERNMENT

• £15 million government funding for garden communities  – The Government has announced £15m in funding to support the growth of garden communities across England. The funding is part of a wider £69m programme to deliver 16,000 homes per year from 2025. The funding is targeted at 43 towns and villages across England who are listed as Garden Towns or Villages. A full list of the chosen areas can be found here.
  
  Almshouses are uniquely placed to operate in these settings. As such, members operating in these areas and looking to further develop their provision may wish to get in touch with their local council to see how they can contribute to these communities.
  
  
• Government announces further support to help with cost of living – Chancellor Rishi Sunak has outlined further support from the government to help with the cost of living.
  The key announcements were as follows:
  • The previously announced £200 loan for energy bills has now been raised to £400 and will now not need to be repaid.
  • Two lump sum payments totalling £650 will be paid to 8 million of those on means tested benefits (see list below). The two payments will made from July and in the Autumn.
    • Universal Credit
    • Income-based Jobseekers Allowance
    • Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
    • Income Support
    • Working Tax Credit
    • Child Tax Credit
    • Pension Credit.
      
  • 8 million pensioner households, who receive winter fuel payments, will receive a one-off payment of £300.
  • 6 million people who receive non-means tested disability benefits will receive a one-off payment of £150.
    
    It was also outlined that, subject to review, benefits next year will increase by this year’s CPI. Local authorities providing support through the household support fund, or discretionary housing payments, will have funding extended by £500m from October.
    
    The Almshouse Association welcomes the additional support at this difficult time. However, we are disappointed that there has not been any further clarification for members who operate communal heating systems. We intend to write to the Chancellor and other ministers to outline our concerns and continue to call for greater support for these members who are already facing an extraordinary rise in the cost of energy. All information regarding the announcement can be found here.

DIGITAL AND COMMUNICATIONS

• Update on Digital Switchover – In our most recent Almshouses Gazette we featured an article from Panel of Consultants member Careline365 (previously Lifeline24) regarding the need for members to take action ahead of the digital switchover in 2025.
  
  Since that article was published there has been an update on the switchover which members should be aware of:
  
  • BT has changed how they will approach the switchover, but have not pushed the completion date back, it is still currently set for 2025
  • The rollout will continue, the difference now is that people who are unsure on the switch will have the option to opt out if they feel unready, however, everyone will still need to switch over eventually
  • Almshouses are still advised to plan ahead and replace old analogue systems with up-to-date digital alarms, especially right now as the issues highlighted, that prompted the update, arises from old analogue technology being used on the new digital network.
    
    Members with further queries can get in touch with Carline365 via Mark Law 01603 964306, keyaccounts@careline.co.uk 
    
• Support with costs of TV licence – TV Licensing have provided a reminder of the support available for people who may be struggling to pay for their TV licence. There are a range of payment plans available to help customers to spread the cost of a TV licence, these include monthly or quarterly direct debits, or a TV Licensing payment card (which enables customers to pay weekly, fortnightly or monthly online, via text or call, on the TVL Pay app, or at any PayPoint outlet).
  
  A reminder of the concessions available and how to apply for these can be found on their website along with a wide range of FAQs.
  
  SEE ALSO: Training: ARC TV Licences | (almshouses.org)

WALES

• Final coronavirus restrictions removed – The Welsh Government is removing the final coronavirus regulations as of May 30^th. This means From Monday 30 May, the legal requirement to wear a face covering in health and care settings will end. Full announcement details can be found here.

RECORD OF PREVIOUS 2021/22 Policy and Governance updates:

posted 30 May 22

15th June 22 – Join us for the biggest networking event of the almshouse calendar!

The Almshouse Association is very pleased to announce that The Almshouse Association 2022 Members Day will take place on Wednesday 15th June 2022 at the Grand Station in Wolverhampton.

• Special Guest Speakers and Panel experts including Richard Morrice (Historic England), Roland Karthaus (Architecture Matters), Tim Rutherford (Stone King LLP), Lisa Watson-Cook (Lester Aldridge), Adrian Nisbet (Argonaut HR), Diane Rutter (Charity Facilitator and Trainer), Sean Stafford (ACL) and Tim Richardson (Quinquennial Inspections).
• Workshops on Governing Documents, Green Energy, Attracting New Trustees, Mediation and Dealing with Challenging Residents.
• The Almshouse Association Awards – presenting to recipients of The Almshouse Association’s Patrons Award, The Almshouse Association Award for Excellence and Inspiration and The Gardens and People Award.
• Networking.
• Q & A with Panel of Experts.
• Exhibition stands include The Charity Bank, Higos Insurance Services Ltd, Ecclesiastical Insurance Group, Harrison Clark Rickerby’s solicitors, CCLA Investment Management, Moore Barlow LLP, Waverton Investment Management, Grout Insurance Brokers, Argonaut-HR and Fifield Glyn chartered surveyors.
• Refreshments and lunch

For more information and to book your place, please click here to download our booking form.

Come and discuss the almshouse movement, its past and future!

The Almshouse Association Members Day 2022 is sponsored by Higos in association with Ecclesiastical Insurance.

The Almshouse Association regularly posts a news summary of the latest Policy and Governance legislation that could impact/requires action from member charities, with links to further information where applicable.

Our latest update can be found below and previous updates are listed at the bottom of the page.

GOVERNMENT

• Home Office opens consultation on Emergency Evacuation Information Sharing – The Home Office has opened a consultation regarding emergency information sharing within multi-occupancy housing, particularly for those with limited mobility.
  
  This follows an earlier consultation on Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEPs), which the Government responded to here. 
  
  Members may wish to view the consultation and respond if they feel necessary. The Almshouse Association is happy to help members by responding on their behalf. Please contact Jack Baldan via jackbaldan@almshouses.org with any evidence you would like to submit.

• Fire Safety Act 2021 comes into force – On May 16^th the Fire Safety Act 2021 was implemented. Implementation leads to the Fire Safety (England) regulations 2022 which have been laid before Parliament and will take effect from 23^rd January 2023. Most of the new regulations only apply to high-rise residential buildings, however, regulations on fire doors and fire safety instructions will apply to all residential buildings with two or more domestic dwellings, regardless of the height of the building.
  
  The Government has published a number of resources to help implement the new regulations, which can be found here:
  • Fire Safety Act Factsheets
  • Fire Safety Act Commencement

For most almshouses the most important points to note are that the responsible persons will be required to:

• provide Fire Safety Instructions: relevant fire safety instructions should be made available to residents, which will include instructions on how to report a fire and any other instruction which sets out what a resident must do once a fire has occurred, based on the evacuation strategy for the building
• provide Fire Door Information: residents should be given information relating to the importance of fire doors in fire safety.
  
  The regulations apply to England only. Information does not need to be shared until 23^rd January 2023, in the meantime, members should look to work towards compliance.

RECORD OF PREVIOUS 2021/22 Policy and Governance updates:

posted 23 May 22