House of Lords: Almshouses raised again

Almshouses raised again in the House of Lords

The Almshouse Association would like to express its thanks to Baroness Joan Bakewell DBE, HonFBA, FRSA for raising a question in the House of Lords regarding Section 106 agreements.

Although Baroness Bakewell, who is also an Almshouse Association Ambassador, did not receive an immediate answer, we look forward to hearing from the Government on the points she raised.

We are proud to see our engagement efforts beginning to bear fruit with an aim to see almshouses regularly mentioned in Parliament. You can help us in this effort by reaching out to your MP who can reach out to The Almshouse Association to support our work and that of the movement. You can also invite them to join the APPG on Almshouses which has its first meeting on February 4^th.

Baroness Bakewell’s question can be viewed here

Posted 26 January 21

The Almshouse Association is 75 years old!

2021 is the year we celebrate our 75^th Anniversary of supporting and representing almshouse charities.

By support, we mean offering advice, guidance, grants and loans to almshouse charities to ensure the delivery of an exemplar housing model that has stood the test of time for over a 1000 years and continues to provide value and efficiency in its delivery of local affordable community housing for people in housing need.

Our 75th anniversary provides us with the wonderful opportunity to join together with our member charities and celebrate their achievements and dedication to the Almshouse Movement.

‘In a recent YouGov Survey* new figures show that eight out of ten people (84%) are not aware of any almshouses in their local area and identified that over 68% of people do not know what an almshouse is.’
YouGov Nov 20

It’s now more vital than ever to raise the profile of the many tangible benefits that almshouses bring to local communities and the heritage that our member charities are helping preserve for future generations.

Almshouses add to the warmth of a community, a ‘community spirit’ that offers safety and security and make it possible for residents to continue to live independently yet still close to familiar surroundings. They provide a place for social interaction but also privacy.

To commemorate our 75^th Anniversary year we will be shouting about our 1600+ member charities and the wonderful work they do. We are inspired on a daily basis by the commitment, dedication and tenacity of our members and the passion they have for their almshouse’s and the residents they support.

Throughout 2021, we will be campaigning heavily in Parliament to generate more support for the Almshouse Movement and will look at opportunities to generate more local and national press coverage, with press interviews taking place at chosen regional sites.

Our member charities will be holding local events in celebration of their achievements and the role their almshouses have played in supporting local people in housing need. The ‘Open Garden Campaign’ starts in early summer 2021 and will run all the way through to the early autumn months. Residents will be baking cakes and sharing their delights with their local communities in recognition of the Almshouse Movement. Watch out for invitations being displayed in your local shops and businesses and on social media sites and join them in their celebrations.

There is so much history and inspiration surrounding almshouses, and the story of this 1000 year old affordable housing model needs to be told boldy and proudly. Join us and enjoy learning more about almshouses and the passion behind this amazing housing model that is a secret about to be told.

Please support us!

There are over 30,000 almshouses across the UK and many are in the process of refurbishment and/or redevelopment. We also have an aim to create over 5,000 more almshouses in the next ten years. The demand is there but we can’t do this without your help.

The Almshouse Association offers grants and loans to member charities who need the financial support to create the warm and secure homes their residents deserve. We need your support to help them continue to refurbish/redevelop their almshouses to achieve the exemplar standard that we all want to achieve.

We also need the support to build new, state of the art almshouses that use eco-friendly building methods. This will future-proof almshouses to ensure they can continue to provide affordable homes for local people in housing need.

Please help us raise the awareness of the wonder of almshouses and the importance of this affordable community housing model by perhaps holding your own garden party in aid of your local almshouses, or connect with us or your local almshouse charity on social media. You can even use our new hashtag !

#SupportAlmshouses

If you would like to know where your nearest almshouse charity is, or would like to know more about how you can help join us to celebrate our 75^th Anniversary year, please contact us at our office in Wokingham and we would be happy to talk to you!

Join us and celebrate the spirit of almshouses!

*All figures, unless otherwise stated are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 2001 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between18-19th November 2020. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults (aged 18+)

Posted 26 January 21

PR Tips and Advice

One of the objectives of The Almshouse Association 5 year strategy is to raise the profile of almshouses. A big part doing this involves speaking to the press, being interviewed for statements and publishing news and stories about almshouses and the almshouse movement. It goes without saying that everyone wants positive PR and wants to avoid bad PR, but this is not always something we can control.

When dealing with any enquiries from newspapers, broadcast press (including radio and TV stations), journalists and press relations personnel, there is always a potential for them to ask awkward questions or ‘dig’ for more information. We may not want this information in the public domain without consultation with our Press Relations Agency (PR) and/or our Chair/CEO.

It is not a case of shying away from challenging questions, but there are a number of ways to put across a message without encouraging ‘negative press’.

Over the next 12 months, as the Association works on a Public Relations Campaign to raise the awareness of the Almshouse Movement and The Almshouse Association, more people will learn about our purpose and work, and almshouses in general. We hope that we will receive a lot of interest from the press, however, it would be naïve to think that this would all be about the 75^th Anniversary. Some journalists may also want to ask more challenging questions. They may contact the Association or they may contact almshouse charities directly.

The Almshouse Association is here to help you. We will be very happy for you to refer any journalists to us so that we can support you.

We have put together some guidelines that you may find useful and will help protect the integrity of your almshouse charity and the almshouse movement.

Guidelines

Overview
Whilst our flow of information to the media will always be positive, with greater recognition comes greater scrutiny and the need for a strategy to handle criticism or negativity. It is important that any negative questions or comments are dealt with promptly. It is sometimes tempting to hope that a problem will go away or you may feel it is too small to create interest. With the media, a negative story can get out of hand in minutes and a reputation can be destroyed. This is particularly relevant in these days of social media. Re-building trust and confidence can take a long time so we recommend treating every potential negative story as a matter of importance. It may disappear but if you are prepared for the next step you will never be on the back foot.

Please, therefore, alert your designated media contact about anything that you are not comfortable with as soon as possible and please contact the Association if you need any help.
Designated Media Contact
At The Almshouse Association, the Chief Executive, Nick Phillips, has overall responsibility for media issues and will approve all internal material before it is sent to any media, or, he will designate an alternative manager at times of his absence. Similarly all media calls to your charity should be directed to the Chief Executive in the first instance, or a designated alternative manager, at times of the Chief Executive’s absence.
Your Chief Executive or designated member of staff:
- will need to ensure that relevant trustees and employees are briefed on any media enquiry that might impact on the them
- will manage the media, together with the Chief Executive of The Almshouse Association if needed and applicable, in the event of an incident occurring
- will decide on the appropriate media position to take with a relevant trustee or an employee, volunteer or supported person in their care, to ensure the right communication is given to the press
- may choose to liaise with the Chief Executive of The Almshouse Association to assist with any news releases, proactive and reactive media statements; comments or quotes, answers to media enquiries, social tweets or similar.
- will approve any social and website media copy
- will be responsible for issuing a holding statement (if necessary) before immediately responding to an incident that has attracted press interest.
Procedure for handling media enquiries – Anyone receiving an enquiry from the media:
- will need to ask the journalist the nature of the enquiry and when they need the information by
- should, if applicable, explain that they are not the best person to deal with the request but they will refer the journalist to the CEO or designated manager immediately
- must make sure they take the name, number and/or email address of the caller
- need to be friendly and helpful but remain polite and firm
- should not feel pressured into a conversation they might regret.
‘Door-Stepping’
In the event of an immediate breaking news story, journalists can ‘door-step’ a junior person who can be caught unaware. The words ‘no comment’ can be interpreted negatively so it is best for the junior member of staff to reassure the journalist that every effort will be made to ensure someone will be in contact with them as soon as possible. The CEO/designated member of staff must then be alerted without delay.
Social Media
Dealing with online media through platforms such as Twitter needs to be handled with special care because a negative comment can spiral out of control instantly. The Almshouse Association Social Media Policy template sets out guidelines for responsible use and can be found on our website in Policies and Procedures.
Confidentiality
All trustees and employees have a duty of confidentiality to their residents. Unauthorised disclosure of personal information about them, or about matters relating to them, could result in a complaint to the Charity Commission. Please be mindful of this.

Please click in the links if you would like to access our Media Handling Policy and Media Handling Procedures templates. and please do not hesitate to contact us if you need our assistance, we are here to help.

Posted 21 January 2021

Overnight visitors

The Association has received a number of enquiries from members concerning managing residents’ expectations with regards to overnight visitors and dealing with overnight visitors that have outstayed their welcome.

We asked an experienced solicitor for their comments on the subject. Alison Maclennan of Third Sector Law writes:

The issue of overnight visitors staying in almshouse accommodation can become a real issue for almshouse trustees. Of overriding importance is knowing who is on site overnight in case of emergency. Imagine two scenarios: a fire alarm is triggered, evacuation of permanent residents is complete and a head count tallies with known occupants. A resident then becomes alarmed as Mr and or Mrs Smith had their son to stay and no one has seen him. Alternatively, a fire alarm is triggered and all the expected residents appear but there are a further eight people in the head count. In both scenarios the real issue is that unless the managers know who is on site there is uncertainty as to whether everyone is safe. This reason alone is justification for Trustees to have (and adhere to) a policy on overnight visitors.
The next consideration is what that policy should contain. This is a practical issue which can vary widely depending on the nature of the accommodation on offer to residents, but also each and every almshouse may have widely varying resident profiles making it more or less likely that overnight visitors are frequent.
Some almshouses may have the luxury of visitor accommodation on site for residents’ family and friends. If so, a modest charge can be made for overnight stays and visitors can be asked to sign T&Cs similar to those used by hotels. This ensures that long stays are avoided.

Boomerangs, Cuckoos and Romeos

Having children is great, they are a real support sometimes. However, the range of familial relationships is such that this can be a problem at times. A resident’s problem child can be a problem for the Trustees too. If an almshouse takes residents in their 50s they can have “Generation X” or “millennial” children who sometimes appeal to their parents for help. Unemployed, homeless children with undesirable “friends” can turn up on the doorstep. Their parents may find it difficult to turn them away and the Trustees may be pressurised into allowing them to stay. A temporary shelter can easily turn into unauthorised occupation by non-beneficiaries. The relationship may be such that these boomerang children (who always come back) can intimidate their parent(s) and within weeks the problem can be exacerbated by an accumulation of arears of WMC. Unless the resident can be supported to move their children and associates on, the inevitable result is that a claim for possession will have to be made against both the resident and their children. Of course it is not only children but other relatives too who suffer.
Sometimes the “visitor” is not related but may be exploiting a vulnerable resident. These are the “cuckoos” who may move in with a vulnerable person and begin exploiting them financially and emotionally. This is becoming more common. The Trustees face a stark choice. Again a possession action can be taken against all the occupants including the vulnerable resident, but this seems to be difficult to reconcile with the objects of the charity to help those in need. Every effort should be taken to try and involve social services and Trustees can raise a safeguarding issue with that department. The response from social services may be variable depending on the local authority concerned.
Finally, the Romeos. Residents may form relationships with others. Whether this is a friendship or something more akin to cohabitation, this often occurs. This is a relatively easy problem to solve if the persistent overnight visitor would also qualify as a beneficiary. The couple can be acknowledged and the resident and their partner may be able to be moved to suitable accommodation on site.
All three categories can be difficult to deal with but the number of possible scenarios cannot be underestimated. Grandparents may wish to babysit their grandchildren overnight. This is not recommended as almshouse accommodation is rarely suitable for children. Residents should be encouraged to undertake babysitting at their children’s homes.
The standard scheme provisions is that overnight visitors should have the consent of the Trustees to stay. Trustees need to find the right balance for their own residents within the confines of the actual accommodation they have. If the Trustees are open minded, a resident will be less likely to have unauthorised overnight visitors. If communication remains open it is also likely that the charity’s managers or Trustees can spot a boomerang, cuckoo or Romeo coming their way.
Overnight visitors are not beneficiaries and as such are not included in the charity’s objects, so the best strategy is to plan ahead, develop clear policies and communicate with residents so everyone knows the charities policy on this complex matter well in advance of the problem.

Alison Maclennan |Third Sector Law
a.maclennan@thirdsectorlaw.co.uk

Posted 19 January 21

Housing LIN round table event

Almshouse Association CEO Nick Phillips will be taking part in Housing LIN’s HAPPIhour virtual roundtable event at 4pm on 28th January 2021.

In this #HAPPIhour event, supported by Winckworth Sherwood, Housing LIN will focus on almshouses in ‘Back to community-led housing roots: What future role for Almshouses in shaping local communities?

They will also be discussing the recent RICS Research Trust report, the Housing LIN guest blog and sector showcase, and will be joined by a number of guests including Alison Pooley Principal Lecturer at Centre for Alternative Technology, Jeremy Porteus Chief Executive of Housing LIN, architects and Andrew Bibby Secretary of the Calder Valley Community Land Trust.

If you would like to register for this virtual event, please click in the link below to find out more:

https://www.housinglin.org.uk/Events/HAPPI-Hour-The-future-role-for-Almshouses-in-shaping-local-communities/

Posted 19 January 21

Stone King webinar: To Merge or Collaborate?

Almshouse Association panel member Tim Rutherford of Stone King Legal Services and Almshouse Association Chair and Director at The Trust Partnership Elizabeth Fathi, invite members to join a free webinar on 18th February 2021 between 2pm – 3pm

The webinar ‘To Merge or Collaborate – Why and How? – An Almshouse Toolkit’ will offer guidance and practical tips on the following items:

The rationale for merger
The strategy to find a merger partner
The process – what to expect, what to negotiate and what to leave behind
Collaboration – an alternative to merger?
Looking back, reflections on the lessons learned from 2020

To find out more and to register, please click in the boxes below:

Full details click here

To register, click here

Posted 18 January 21

Covid-19 vaccine

Almshouse Access to the Coronavirus Vaccine

The Almshouse Association has been working hard to get clearer guidance from national Government regarding access to the Covid-19 vaccine.

This has included conversations with representatives of the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government as well as supportive MPs and Lords.

Efforts have been underway to see all forms of supported housing have priority when it comes to testing and vaccination. We now understand that vaccination will begin on frontline social care workers directly working with vulnerable people who need care and support in any setting, including supported housing. This also encompasses those supported housing providers who don’t deliver a registered care service. The vaccination would most likely take place at one of the newly designated “hospital hubs”.

The Almshouse Association believes that members should contact their local authorities to make sure they are aware of the new directive, which they should have received from the Government, to ensure that your staff are included in the rollout. Many almshouses will meet the criteria for priority stated in the directive:

“Frontline social care workers directly working with vulnerable people who need care and support irrespective of where they work (for example in hospital, people’s own homes, day centres, or supported housing); or who they are employed by (for example local government, NHS, independent sector or third sector).”

The most appropriate contact for this correspondence would be the Directors of Public Health, and the Directors of Adult Social Care. You can find your local Director of Public Health here. Finding a direct email address for these individuals can be difficult, so you may wish to send it directly to your local council if you have not previously been in touch with the Public Health team.

The Almshouse Association is in the process of writing to each Director to further support representations should they be made locally. Should you face any difficulties then please do contact The Almshouse Association.

If you have residents that are over 80, it is likely their GP already has, or will soon be contacting them about the vaccine. We would not recommend directly calling GP surgeries at this time.

Posted 18 Jan 2021

Covid-19 update: 11.01.21

Meetings

The Charity Commission has updated its guidance on holding meetings during the national lockdown.

Where possible, it states that charities should hold meetings online or via telephone. Where this isn’t possible, however, trustees can continue to meet in person to deal with essential charity business. For more detailed guidance, visit: w ww.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-for-the-charity-sector
If you do choose to hold an in person trustee meeting, please ensure that you follow strict Covid-19 safety guidance, including maintaining social distancing, wearing masks, and making sure you use a well ventilated room.

Vaccination Guides

The government has also issued some leaflets on the new vaccine. These are available in an easily printable format for you to share with residents and staff. These are available at:

Vaccination Guide for Older Adults – https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-vaccination-guide-for-older-adults
Vaccination Guide: Why are you being asked to wait? – https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-vaccination-why-you-are-being-asked-to-wait

Shielding

The government has updated its guidance on shielding, which has been reintroduced for the third national lockdown. Those who are classed as clinically extremely vulnerable and therefore are being asked to shield, will also receive a letter from their GP with this information. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19

Posted 11 January 2021

Policy & Governance update: January 21

Each month, the Association posts a news summary of the latest Policy and Governance legislation that could impact / requires action from our member charities, with links to further information where applicable. Please find below our December 20/January 21 Summary.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Regulator of Social Housing’s Sector Risk Profile 2020 – The Regulator of Social Housing has produced its Sector Risk Profile for 2020, which sets out the main risks facing the social housing sector. The risks outlined are not confined to those registered with the regulator but provide warning and consideration for all almshouse charities.

Members may be interested in the focus on “Quality of Stock” which many will be familiar with. We know all our members strive to ensure that beneficiaries live in high-quality housing at all times which meets or exceeds the Decent Homes Standard. We know that many members have already improved the quality of their accommodation through converting bedsits into one-bedroom homes or by investing in wet rooms, improved kitchens and new green initiatives to improve comfort and energy efficiency. With this in mind let us know what support we can offer when considering improvements to progress of almshouses in the 21^st Century.
Building Safety Charter – Following on from the Dame Judith Hackett review there has been the creation of a Building Safety Charter. This has been discussed widely in the housing sector recently and our members may wish to view the Charter here.

Coronavirus

You can find all our Coronavirus updates here
Coronavirus Vaccine – The Government has also published guides on what to expect from the Coronavirus vaccine; one for social care staff and one for older adults. This includes details on possible side effects and how it protects you.

The Almshouse Association is continuing to talk to the Government regarding access to the vaccine for almshouse staff and residents. We are seeking to ensure that almshouses are treated equally to other social care settings and we will continue to keep members up to date with any developments.
Eviction ban extension – As a result of the new national restrictions to combat Coronavirus, the Government has extended the ban on bailiff evictions for all but the most egregious cases for at least 6 weeks – until at least 21^st February.

Posted 11 January 2021

Covid-19 update: 05.1.21

England has once again moved into a full national lockdown.

The lockdown restrictions will be in place for a minimum of seven weeks with the next review due to take place on 15 February. The Government hopes to offer the first dose of the vaccine to the most at-risk groups during this period, including those over the age of 70 and those classed as clinically extremely vulnerable.

The Rules

You must stay at home and only go out for a limited number of reasons, including:

To work where it is not reasonably possible to work from home
To shop for basic necessities for you or a vulnerable person
To exercise with your household/support bubble. You can exercise with one other person from outside your household/support bubble but this should be limited to once per day
To meet your support or childcare bubble
To seek medical assistance or to escape harm (including domestic abuse)
To attend education or childcare (NB nurseries remain open but schools are only open to vulnerable children and children of key workers

You should not meet socially with anyone who is not in your household or support bubble. When exercising, you should remain within your local area.

There are currently no restrictions on moving home during the lockdown, though people from outside your household or support bubble should not help with the move unless necessary. This means that residents that are due to move into one of your almshouses can continue to do so. If you’re currently looking to fill a vacancy, you will need to conduct any interviews by video or teleconference. When a resident moves in, they should only be greeted by one member of staff or trustee and social distancing should be maintained at all times.

Full details on the lockdown can be found at:
www.gov.uk/guidance/national-lockdown-stay-at-home.

Restrictions also continue to apply in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Details on these restrictions can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus.

Shielding

Those who are classed as clinically extremely vulnerable will be sent a letter by their GP shortly with details on action they should take and support that is available to them. Those who are clinically extremely vulnerable should not attend work and limit their exposure to other people. They should limit their time outside their homes to medical appointments and exercises only.

Please note that whilst older people are more at risk of severe illness if they contract Covid-19, old age itself does not class someone as clinically extremely vulnerable. To find out more about who is classed as clinically extremely vulnerable, visit:
www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19#cev

What you should be doing?

The new lockdown is very similar to that in March last year and your charity should revert to the processes it had in place at that time. This could include:

Closing common rooms and ensuring that outdoor furniture is adequately spaced apart to allow for social distancing
Regular cleaning of high touchpoint areas, such as entrance halls and stairwells (particularly handrails)
Closing guest rooms
Replacing warden visits with regular phone calls
Contacting next of kin and local volunteer groups to ensure residents are getting shopping delivered
Developing a rota for communal facilities such as laundries and ensuring that they are cleaned on a more frequent basis. Provide hand sanitiser and cleaning wipes for residents to use whilst in these areas
Providing residents with puzzles, games and details of exercises they can do within their own homes to keep them healthy and occupied
Developing and advising residents of the process they should follow if they believe they have contracted Cobid-19 and/or are hospitalised. You may wish to ask residents to update their next of kin details

The Government has developed guidance for managers of supported living. Although some of the guidance will not be relevant to almshouse charities, it nonetheless provides guidance on cleaning, PPE, managing outbreaks, and visitors and support bubbles. The guidance can be found at:
www.gov.uk/government/publications/supported-living-services-during-coronavirus-covid-19/covid-19-guidance-for-supported-living.

Don’t forget, the Almshouse Association offers an online course on infection prevention and control. You may wish to ask your staff to complete this course in the coming days. If your charity requires more course credits (you will need one credit per person to take the course), please contact us at admin@almshouses.org. The course can be found at:
www.almshouses.org/training-seminars/online-training-sessions/

Some almshouse charities may choose to treat their residents as one household and ‘close the gates’. Before taking this approach, you must get the agreement of all residents that this is what they would like to do. Residents may prefer to form support bubbles with other households instead.

If you believe a resident is breaking the lockdown rules, you should speak to the resident and remind them of the restrictions and the impact their behaviour could have on their neighbours. This should be followed up with a written warning if they continue to break the rules. In extreme circumstances (e.g. if a resident regularly has multiple guests), you may wish to contact the police.

Posted 5 January 21