Latest News | The Almshouse Association

Chancellor: A Plan for Jobs

The Almshouse Association’s Response to Chancellor’s Plan for Jobs

The Almshouse Association welcomes the government’s efforts to protect jobs, particularly within the housing sector. We also welcome news of the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund, but look forward to further clarification on whether almshouses, as charitable affordable housing providers will be entitled to access this fund.

The Association understands that the Government will make more significant announcements as part of the regular Autumn Statement, but feel that greater emphasis was needed in this plan on providing affordable housing as a key job creator. We believe that the government must promote affordable housing, including almshouses, on the scale that is truly needed in our country, not only to create jobs for the expected recession, but to provide a real solution to the housing crisis.

Posted 9th July 2020

Charity Commission: Double Defaulter charities

The Almshouse Association would like to highlight the release of the Charity Inquiry: double defaulter charities between April 2019 and March 2020 report published on July 6^th.

The report highlights the risks for charities who fail to submit their financial information to the Charity Commission for 2 or more years. Inclusion in such reports can cause widespread problems, not only causing damage to the reputation of individual charities, but to the wider almshouse movement.

It is vital that out members submit the required financial information promptly and accurately. If you have any issues around this process or need help, please do not hesitate to contact The Almshouse Association so that we can provide you with all the support you need.

The full report can be found here.

Reminder: A CCLA special event for almshouses

On Thursday 9 July 2020 at 11am, CCLA is holding a live event exclusively for almshouses.

Recent restrictions on movement and physical interaction caused by the Covid-19 crisis is making loneliness and isolation an even more critical issue for almshouse trustees, clerks and wardens. CCLA has worked with almshouses for more than 40 years. As an investment house, its purpose is to help you secure a positive financial future for your organisation.

CCLA initiated its mental health engagement programme in early 2019. Amy Browne, Stewardship Lead, will share some insights from the programme and discuss how the initiative has adapted in response to the crisis.
Willie Hartley Russell and Ed Christian will provide an update on how CCLA is investing during these extraordinary times.

Stay safe. Stay positive. Stay connected.
Date: Thursday 9 July
Time: 11am to 12pm
Location: Zoom

Posted 30th June 2020

Legionella tests reminder

As the lockdown continues to ease around the nation, it is worth remembering to catch up with vital checks which may not have been undertaken as buildings were left understaffed or empty.

A particularly important check at this time is that of water safety. It is highly recommended that members carry out the necessary checks for Legionella. Further advice on this can be found at Chapter 4.15 of our Standards of Almshouse Management Guidance Manual.

In addition, you may want to take our online training course on Legionella –click here to access

Gas safety checks are also important. The Health and Safety Executive has provided the following guidance during the Covid-19 pandemic:

Landlords have a legal duty to repair and maintain gas pipework, flues and appliances in a safe condition, to ensure an annual gas safety check on each appliance and flue, and to keep a record of each safety check.
If you anticipate difficulties in gaining access as the COVID-19 situation progresses, you have the flexibility to carry out annual gas safety checks two months before the deadline date. Landlords can have the annual gas safety checks at their properties carried out any time from 10 to 12 calendar months after the previous check and still retain the original deadline date as if the check had been carried out exactly 12 months after the previous check.
You are encouraged to arrange your annual gas safety checks as early as possible, as a contingency against tenants being in self-isolation for a period of 14 days (in line with current guidelines), or gas engineers being unavailable due to illness. The two-month period to carry out annual gas safety checks should provide adequate resilience in most situations.
In the event, you are unable to gain access to the property, e.g. persistent refusal of access due to vulnerable tenants self-isolating, you will be expected to be able to demonstrate that you took reasonable steps to comply with the law and that you are seeking to arrange the safety check as soon as all parties are able. This will need to include records of communication with the tenant, and details of your engineers attempt to gain access.
Health and Safety Executive

As always, if you have any concerns please do not hesitate to contact The Almshouse Association and we will be more than happy to assist.

Posted 7th July 2020

Affordable Housing Commission Report: Making Housing Affordable again

The Almshouse Association commends the final report of the Affordable Housing Commission carried out by Lord Best and his colleagues. We agree with the commission that there is no ‘silver bullet’ which could fix everything within the current housing crisis. What is needed is a multi-facet approach, which we believe almshouses should be a part.

The report is right to highlight the need for ‘a 21^st century version of the extensive sheltered housing programme of times past’ to achieve both high-quality housing for the elderly, whilst freeing up larger properties for young families. Almshouses have been around for a thousand years, the earliest form of community housing but it is interesting that more are being built today than at any other time since the Victorian period. Almshouses provide over homes for over 35,000 people in need. There is an almshouse in nearly every constituency in the country and we believe that almshouses are perfectly placed to provide first-class housing fit for the 21^st century.

Our member charities already provide residents of all ages with accommodation which is affordable and encourages independence. Yet in recent years, misunderstandings of what almshouses are and how they work have held them back from fulfilling their full potential as the exemplar of community housing. At the Almshouse Association we pride ourselves on the service that our members provide and the well-being of their residents.

The Association hopes that the Government listens to the recommendations of the Affordable Housing Commission. We also look forward to engaging further with members across government and the housing sector to help fix our housing crisis, with almshouses playing a vital role in the solution.

A new age of almshouses is before us and with it comes a fantastic opportunity to provide truly affordable community housing, rooted in the communities they serve.

Full report can be found here

Posted 6 July 2020

Electrical Safety Standards Regs 2020

On July 1^st The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 came into effect for new ‘specified tenancies’. Existing tenancies will not be affected until April 1^st 2021.

Please look at our guidance below on what the new regulations require so that you are prepared:

The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020

New regulations are to come into effect that will require each dwelling to acquire an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) every 5 years: ‘electrical installation’ means fixed electrical cables or fixed electrical equipment located on the consumer’s side of the electricity supply meter. These Regulations apply in England only to all new ‘specified tenancies’ from 1st July 2020 and all existing ‘specified tenancies’ from 1st April 2021.

These regulations apply to almshouse charities.

The first inspection and testing on an almshouse property must be carried out before the resident moves-in, in relation to a new ‘specified tenancy’ and from 1st April 2021 in all the properties, in relation to an existing ‘specified tenancy’.

Following the inspection and testing charities must:

obtain a written report from the person conducting the inspection and test, which gives the results of the inspection and test and the date of the next inspection and test;
supply a copy of the report to each existing resident of the residential premises within 28 days of the inspection and test;
supply a copy of the report to the local housing authority within 7 days of receiving a request in writing for it from that authority;
retain a copy of that report until the next inspection and test is due and supply a copy to the person carrying out the next inspection and test; and
supply a copy of the most recent report to:
any new resident of the ‘specified tenancy’ to which the report relates before that resident occupies those premises; and
any prospective resident within 28 days of receiving a request in writing for it from that prospective resident.

Any further investigative or remedial work identified in the report should be carried out by a qualified person(s) within 28 days, unless a shorter period is specified. The charity must obtain written confirmation confirming that the investigative or remedial work carried out meets the electrical safety standards.

Full details of the legislation and ‘landlord’ responsibilities can be found here: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukdsi/2020/9780111191934

NOTE: These regulations only apply to charities operating in England

Posted 6 July 2020

Policy and Governance: June 20 Summary

Property and Planning – June 20 Summary

Guidance on electrical safety regulations

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has published new guidance for landlords on how best to comply with The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020. The guidance outlines what is required under the new regulations, as well as discussing how this applies under License to Occupy agreements. The guidance does not differ from what we already recommend to our members, including having electrical inspections by a qualified and competent professional.

A full breakdown from the Government can be found here

Charity and Charity Law – June 20 Summary

Duty to report matter of significance

The Charity Commission have provided an update to its guidance on a charity’s duty to report matters of significance. The COVID-19 situation has been reflected on with further advice on reporting at times of national emergency.

Increased risk of fraud and cybercrime against charities

The Commission has also warned charities about the increased risk of fraud and cybercrime during the Coronavirus pandemic. The report covers:

Procurement fraud
Mandate or Chief Executive Officer frauds
Scam emails (phishing)
Unsolicited offers of goods, services or financial support (advanced fee fraud)
Protecting devices
Reporting fraud

Reporting serious incidents to the Charity Commission

The Commission has provided new guidance on reporting serious incidents. The most significant update is that charities can now use the Commission’s online form. It has also published a supplementary examples document, to support charities in deciding when to report an incident related to the coronavirus pandemic.

Adult Social Care and Support – June 20 Summary

Ban on evictions extended by two months

MHCLG has extended the suspension of new evictions until 23 August. Although almshouses are not legally bound to this it is recommended that almshouses follow this guidance. A court is unlikely to rule in favour of Setting Aside due to the current unprecedented situation.

Health and Safety – June 20 Summary

Meeting people from outside your household

The Department of Health and Social Care has updated its guidance on meeting people from outside your household (in England). The guidance states that: “if you live by yourself or are a single parent with dependent children – in other words, if there is only one adult in your home – you can expand your support network so that it includes one other household of any size.” This guidance should prove useful for almshouses which are planning to allow visitors as the lockdown eases.

Coronavirus

For further information from The Almshouse Association on Coronavirus please look here. The page is regularly updated with the most recent guidance and advice.

Previous Policy and Governance Updates:

Click here for Policy and Governance – May 2020 Summary
Click here for Policy and Governance – Apr 2020 Summary
Click here for Policy and Governance – Mar 2020 Summary
Click here for Policy and Governance – Feb 2020 Summary
Click here for Policy and Governance –Jan 2020 Summary
Click here for Policy and Governance – 2019 Summary

Posted 1 Jun 2020

‘New Deal for Britain’ Association’s response to Boris Johnson’s Speech

The Almshouse Association agrees with the Prime Minister that this is the moment to address the issues that we have failed to deal with for decades, particularly around community housing.

Our member charities have faced difficulties in the planning stage of development and welcome an open discussion around necessary reforms to the planning process, particularly around Section 106 and its application to almshouses.

The Association also welcomes the emphasis on building back better following the Coronavirus pandemic and feel it is vital that we build with a laser-like focus on truly affordable, community housing.

Furthermore, we hope that the extra £450 million Home Building Fund will provide an opportunity for new almshouse developments, which will help to establish high quality housing which is rooted in the community. We look forward to working with the government as it develops its proposals and hope to show why almshouses can provide part of the solution to our current housing crisis.

Full Government press release can be found here

Posted 30 June 2020

Association’s Statement on the Westferry Printworks Development

The Almshouse Association is concerned by the apparent inconsistency in the affordable housing allocation with local authorities, particularly around Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, which have been highlighted by the debate around the Westferry Printworks development.

It would appear that developers were keen to significantly reduce the percentage of affordable housing in their developments at a time when affordable homes are out of reach for so many.

Our member charities have repeatedly faced difficulties due to Section 106 even though their core function is to provide truly affordable housing. Almhouses should be exempt from Section 106 agreements because of this, yet our members have struggled with officials who misunderstand the remit of the agreements or the work of almshouses.

The Almshouse Association has long recognised that in order to promote more development of affordable housing, barriers to almshouses development need to be removed. Currently many local planning departments do not recognise almshouse charities as “affordable housing providers” as the terms used in the planning guidance PPG, refer to ‘Registered Providers of affordable housing‘. Many almshouse charities, established and run by the local community, are not ‘Registered Providers’, (although they are all registered with the Charity Commission and they provide affordable housing). We would like this guidance amended to refer to “a preference for Not for profit Affordable Housing Providers”.

The Almshouse Association believes that where a local planning provision is made for a Section 106 levy to be applied to commercial developers for affordable housing, it should be complied with. This would lead to greater opportunities for the provision of affordable housing.

Almshouse Association CEO Nick Phillips said:

“The question seems to be about a fair playing field in terms of developers required to contribute to building affordable homes. People talk about the “housing crisis” but the charities we represent report the real challenge is an “affordable housing crisis” and that section 106 is designed to be a way of providing communities with affordable housing. “

The Association welcomes consistency and the support of proper affordable community housing for those in the local community. We look forward to continuing our work with the government and local authorities to increase the national stock of truly affordable, community led housing

What is Section 106 ?
A section 106 agreement is an agreement between a developer and a local planning authority about measures that the developer must take to reduce their impact on the community. A section 106 agreement is designed to make a development possible that would otherwise not be possible, by obtaining concessions and contributions from the developer. It forms a section of the Town And Country Planning Act 1990.

Posted 29 Jun 2020

More MPs respond to ‘call to alms’

The Almshouse Association is pleased to report that MPs continue to respond to our letters regarding support for almshouse charities.

Following a letter sent by Harriett Baldwin MP to the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Oliver Dowden, raising almshouse concerns during the coronavirus pandemic, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport has responded to the Association.

Mrs Baldwin, MP for West Worcestershire, kindly wrote to the Secretary of State on behalf of The Almshouse Association following the Association highlighting the challenges that almshouse charities were facing due to coronavirus earlier this year.

The challenges included funding, coronavirus testing and the supply of PPE. The letter prompted a response in the form of a letter from Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Civil Society, Baroness Barran, writing on behalf of Mr Dowden and his department. This letter praised the work of almshouse charities during the coronavirus pandemic before going onto highlight the work that has been done to ensure that the concerns raised. The letter can be found in full here:

Covering Letter from Harriett Baldwin MP enclosing
Letter from Baroness Barran

More MP letters of support can be found below:

Letter from John Stephenson MP
Letter from Derek Thomas MP