Background
Supporting People is the policy and funding framework for housing support services. The programme was introduced in April 2003 under the Housing Support Services (2002 Order) (Commencement) Order (Northern Ireland) 2003 and the Housing Support Services Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003.
The Northern Ireland Housing Executive is responsible for approval for the commissioning of housing support services that meet strategic need identified by the Strategic Advisory Board.
The Strategic Advisory Board (a partnership of local housing, social care, health and probation statutory services) plays a key role in advising and approving Supporting People services. The Northern Ireland Housing Executive Board makes the final decision on which services will be approved for funding.
Housing support services are practical services that assist people to maintain independent living in the community. Support can take a number of different forms. It could include general counselling and advice, help with budgeting, shopping, dealing with issues around home safety or assistance with administrative affairs.
Supporting People is a wide and varied programme that reaches out to
- people who have been homeless or a rough sleeper
- ex-offenders and people at risk of offending and imprisonment
- people with a physical or sensory disability
- people at risk of domestic violence
- people with alcohol and drug problems
- teenage parents
- elderly people
- young people at risk
- people with learning difficulties
- travellers
- homeless families with support needs
- migrant Workers
For more information on Supporting People visit the NIHE website
Review of Supporting People
A Review of the Supporting People Programme was completed by this Department, working collaboratively with the Department of Health and Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE) and with input from Department of Justice(DOJ) , the Committee Representing Interests of Supporting People Providers (CRISPP) and the wider Supporting People sector.
The Supporting People Review final report was published in November 2015 and thirteen recommendations were identified. Work is ongoing regarding the implementation of these recommendations. Documents in relation to the review are available from DfC, contact supported.housing@communites-ni.gov.uk.
The Supporting People Policy Framework (NI) 2023 guidance
The Supporting People Policy Framework (NI) 2023, is the updated Departmental guidance for the Supporting People Programme. This updated guidance has been produced to address Recommendation 6 of the 2015 SP Review, referred to above. The Department for Communities has overall responsibility for publishing and maintaining this guidance.
Year 6 Stopping Domestic and Sexual Violence and Abuse Action Plan
The Year 6 Stopping Domestic and Sexual Violence and Abuse Strategy has been developed by Department of Health (DoH) and Department of Justice (DoJ) in conjunction with Department for Communities (DfC), Department of Finance (DoF) and Department of Education (DE).
Homelessness
The Housing Executive has published its Homelessness Strategy for 2017- 22: Ending Homelessness Together.
The Northern Ireland Housing Executive has statutory responsibility for responding to homelessness. The Housing Executive’s strategic approach to dealing with homelessness is the current ‘Ending Homelessness Together – the Homelessness Strategy for Northern Ireland 2017-22’ which has an overall vision of eliminating long term homelessness and rough sleeping and has at its core prevention and early intervention.
The Housing Executive developed its new Homelessness Strategy in partnership with the Department, relevant statutory agencies and voluntary and community sector organisations and published this in April 2017. The new Strategy aims to ensure a cross departmental and inter agency approach to ending homelessness.
Homelessness is a complex issue. A physical home, whilst incredibly important, will not on its own, address a homelessness situation. Homelessness individuals and households or those vulnerable to homelessness, quite often have underlying issues and/or complex needs, and require support to maintain their health, their home and their employment.
For this reason the Department took the lead, working with our partners in government, on a rolling Interdepartmental Homelessness Action plan which focuses on addressing gaps in those non-accommodation services that are likely to have the most impact on the lives of people who are homeless and those who are most at risk of homelessness. This includes health and education services, support for those leaving places of care and support services for those who are experiencing family or domestic issues. The plan complements the NI Housing Executive’s Homelessness Strategy 2017 - 2022.
The Year 2 Action Plan reflects comments from the homelessness provider sector during Year 1 by including actions which are more outcome focused and attempt to make a tangible difference to peoples’ lives. This Plan, together with the Report on Year 1 is available at:
Homelessness Strategy Steering Group
The Department chairs this steering group comprising of officials from a number of Departments and representatives of the statutory agencies and the voluntary sector continues to consider how Government departments and other relevant agencies can best work together to ensure:
- that the risk of homelessness is reduced
- that the full range of appropriate services is available to those who find themselves homeless, so that they can make the choices required to play a full part in society
- that the Housing Executive can fully implement the objectives set out in its Homelessness strategy 2017-22
NIAO Report: Homelessness in Northern Ireland
In November 2017, the Northern Ireland Audit Office(NIAO) published its report “Homelessness in Northern Ireland” which contained nine recommendations for change which are aimed at improving the effectiveness of interventions undertaken in respect of tackling and preventing homelessness. The recommendations centre around better collection and use of data, more regular analysis/evaluation of progress towards strategic objectives, and greater cross-Departmental activity. Work is ongoing to give effect to these recommendations.
Travellers
The policy objective is to improve the living conditions for travellers in Northern Ireland.
Here you will find information on the department's responsibilities, policies and actions in relation to travellers in Northern Ireland including accommodation and the co-operation policy.
Travellers' accommodation
The Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE) has the strategic role in the provision of accommodation for Travellers. The Department has oversight responsibility for the NIHE’s strategic role in relation to Travellers’ accommodation.
The NIHE are required to carry out accommodation needs assessments to establish current and projected accommodation requirements of Travellers. The next assessment will be completed during 2019 which will inform the future accommodation requirements for Irish Travellers’ in Northern Ireland for 2019 - 2024.
Design guide for Travellers’ sites in Northern Ireland
The Department for Communities has responsibility for publishing and maintaining a Design Guide for Travellers’ sites in NI. The Design Guide for Travellers Sites in NI is technical guidance that seeks to outline the key issues, including the relevant planning context, that must be considered and identify the main design and management elements necessary to create high quality and sustainable Traveller sites which meet residents’ traditional and cultural needs.
Co-operation policy
It is important to stress that the policy that allows Travellers to camp on a temporary basis is not a substitute for permanent or transit site provision.
The policy is still seen, therefore, as a humane requirement and necessary addition to adequate permanent provision.
Once the policy is in place Travellers should be allowed to remain on the land subject to the following conditions:
- occupation does not constitute a measurable public health hazard or cause pollution to water supplies. District councils should liaise with the landowner, support groups and Traveller families to ensure services (for example refuse collection) are in place to eliminate any public health hazard
- occupation does not create a traffic hazard
- occupation does not create a right to long-term use of the site. The situation should be reviewed at regular intervals not exceeding three months
- there is no current or immediate use for the land
- the Travellers behave in a reasonable and orderly manner
It is recognised that in exceptional cases there could be circumstances attached to a particular occupancy, which would require a different approach.