Supporting vulnerable people

Housing related support helps you stay in your home, or move to a new one.

Supporting People in Bristol - a guide to getting services that can help (pdf, 0.5 MB) will help to explain what Supporting People services can offer and how you can get the help you need. 

If you want a Support Service you usually need to apply to the organisations that provide these services directly.

Download: Supporting People Services - Local Directory (pdf, 111 KB)

The Supporting People (SP) programme offers vulnerable people the opportunity to improve their quality of life and remain independent through the provision of a range of support services. It delivers high quality and strategically planned housing-related services which are cost effective and complement existing care services. The planning and development of services is based on people's needs. Supporting People is a working partnership of local government, service users and support providers.

What types of services are provided?

There are two main types of SP services:

   1. Accomodation Based Services, (eg, supported housing and hostels)
   2. Floating Support Services, (delivered to people in their own homes)

Who receives Supporting People Services?

Services are delivered to a range of different people, including:

• older people
• people with learning difficulties
• people with mental health issues
• ex-offenders
• people fleeing domestic violence
• people experiencing issues with drugs and alcohol

How do I apply?

If you would like to access a support service, you normally need to apply (either by yourself, through an advocate, or professional) to the organisation that provide the specific service you require.

For more information please refer to the Supporting People Services - Local Directory, which contains details of support services in Bristol.

Cost

Customers do not have to pay for support if they are in receipt of a full or partial housing benefit claim. Financial assistance may be available for some customers who are not eligible for housing benefit but they would be required to make a personal contribution towards the cost of their support.

If you would like to apply for financial help please complete the application form for financial assistance (pdf, 58 KB) (this form can also be completed by someone else on your behalf).

Customer involvement

Customer involvement is central to the approach taken by Bristol's supporting people team. Both management and staff analysis and understanding of the service comes from a provider point of view, whereas customers are recipients of the service and as such have a different perspective.

We recognise that there is a range of factors that can lead to discrimination, these can include:

• Race
• Ethnicity
• Disability
• Mental health
• Refugee status
• Age
• Gender and Sexuality

It is key to the delivery of the supporting people programme that services should be open and accessible to all sections of the community.

At present we are currently undertaking work on customer involvement and assessing how well services are working for you. We aim to publish our findings later this year and will notify our providers when this information is available.

Move On information pack

The Move On information pack (pdf, 360 KB) is for anyone involved in helping people to move through short-term Supporting People funded accommodation and into independent living in a planned and positive way.

Complaints

If you wish to make a complaint about a supporting people support service, or about the supporting people team please read the complaints policy (pdf, 59 KB) for further information on how to do this.