Report Launch: Economic Benefits of Housing Support

Commissioned by the Housing Support Enabling Unit, the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations (SFHA), the Scottish Commission for People with Learning Disabilities (SCLD), Hanover Scotland, and Blackwood Homes and Care, a new report from CaCHE suggests that Housing Support has strong economic and social benefits, particularly in relation to preventative public finance savings.

The report suggests that there is a broad range of qualitative and practice evidence supporting the role of Housing Support in securing, accommodation, care and other services. This evidence frames Housing Support as an enabler to facilitate positive health & wellbeing, and social outcomes for people, preventing recourse to more intense interventions.

The report also examines the wide range of Housing Support activities, and suggests that Housing Support is funded by multiple sources of funding, which are not always visible. The diversity of funding arrangements and activities within Housing Support mean that more needs to be done to quantify these benefits. This will aid in highlighting the important role of Housing Support and the need for secure funding to sustain and extend capacity.

Recommendations

The report concludes with recommendations for next steps and further research:

1.  More needs to be done to map and increase data/statistics to strengthen the model of preventative Housing Support.
2.  Develop a national partnership approach to further understand the outcomes and economic benefits associated with Housing Support, to increase its impact.
3.  Increase visibility of Housing Support by constructing well-defined areas of budgetary activity.

The report and an easy-read summary of the report can be viewed here. The authors of the report, Prof Ken Gibb and Dr Vikki McCall have also produced a video discussing the report. The research partners, HSEU, SFHA, SCLD, Hanover Scotland, and Blackwood Homes and Care, are eager that the report is used as a basis for further discussion about the economic and social benefits of Housing Support. The partners are keen to continue engagement with commissioners, funders, and providers of Housing Support so please share with your networks and get in touch with any feedback or contributions at hs.unit@ccpscotland.org.