Adult social care cuts: Supporting People services

The local authority says it needs to make £40m of savings over the next three years in response to a cut in funding from central government.

There are three main service areas which will be affected, with ‘significant savings’ proposed to be made by slashing the £9.9m Supporting People budget by £4,557,000.

The Support People programme funds a range of services related to housing support, such as an on site work to help maintain people’s independence, supporting people to live communally or to help people develop the life skills to move on to more independent accommodation.

The local authority is proposing to pull 100 per cent of Support People funding from 93 sheltered housing schemes from across East Sussex, hitting 3,445 households.

This move will save ESCC £1,234,000.

Marlborough House in Hastings, Newington Court in Ticehurst and the Orangery in Sidley will be also be hit by the withdrawal of 100 per cent of Supporting People funding from extra care schemes, which will ultimately save ESCC £103,000 across the county.

Accommodation-based schemes for people with learning difficulties provide by East View housing and Royal Mencap in Hastings will also lose their Supporting People funding.

Accommodation-based schemes for people with mental health issues at Bal Edmund in Hastings and Pathways in Bexhill could see 100 per cent of their funding pulled, along with a scheme in Eastbourne, saving the council £341,000.

Merrick House and Priory House, both in Hastings, accommodation-based schemes for homeless people with complex needs, could also see their funding taken away under the plans.

Meanwhile Hastings and Bexhill accommodation-based schemes for at risk 16-25 years olds could see their council funding halved.

Women fleeing domestic violence will be affected by a proposed 20 per cent cut in funds to five refuges across the county, including Hastings and Rother.

Young mothers and babies will be hit by a proposed 24 per cent funding cut to three specialist accommodation schemes across East Sussex, including Turner House in Hastings.

Supported Accommodation and Independent Living Solutions (SAILS) could see its Supporting People funding cut by 35 per cent, which would affected around 360 individuals with a range of needs, including mental health needs and learning disabilities, living across East Sussex.

A visiting support service for people aged 16-64 who are at risk of homelessness or who have complex needs could also be close to losing a quarter of its funding.

The £835,000 cut in funding to the HomeWorks service would affect 850 households per year across East Sussex.

However, the council said all eligible care needs, support Adult Social Care is required by law to provide, will continue to be met.

For more details and to voice your opinion on the plans, visit consultation.eastsussex.gov.uk/adult-social-care/budget

Further stories on other cut areas will be published throughout the day.

Proposed £40m cuts to hit vulnerable in Hastings and Rother

Adult social care cuts: Voluntary services

Adult social care cuts: Drug and alcohol prevention services

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