HLINks: Keep up-to-date with sector news, including on COVID-19, new Housing LIN blog and briefing, and much more

In recent weeks the Housing LIN's Jeremy Porteus has highlighted the value of networking at this time and how our business continuity ensures we remain agile in the face of COVID-19 and can target resources effectively to support your learning and improvement requirements.  

A critical component in delivering this in recent weeks has been bringing forward our digital strategy. The result, we have seen better connectivity to:

  • access latest sector information on housing and care matters (such as today's HLINks)
  • browse our website to source a 'treasure trove' of useful tools and resources
  • engage and share knowledge and experience via our Discussion Forum, and
  • enquire how we can best support organisations now and/or help prepare them post COVID-19.

Read more about our free networked activities in our Business Continuity Plan or email us to find out more at: info@housinglin.org.uk

The Minister of State for Care writes….

Minister of State (Minister for Care) Helen Whately MP

Further to a Zoom meeting with the Minister of State for Care, Helen Whately MP, and the retirement living and extra care housing sector leaders last month, she has now written thanking the retirement and supported housing workforce for their work during this period and encouraged us to share via our networks. You can read her letter here.

New Housing LIN Products

This week, we published a new COVID-19 Practice Briefing (no5) and a new blog:

COVID-19 Practice Briefing (No5) - Changes to welfare benefits

Cover_Covid19_WelfareBenefits

This Housing LIN briefing (No5) for provides information  for social landlords, local authorities and other organisations advising and supporting working age adults on welfare benefit changes under COVID-19, highlights examples of practice and signposts to latest government guidance and where to get further advice and support.

Blog - Home is where everything is

Laura Wigzell

In this new guest blog for the Housing LIN, Julia Wigzell of the Pretty Good Project, explores the true impact home design has on our lives, and the opportunity for us to re-evaluate standards and design principles of age-friendly housing and designs at home post COVID-19.

This blog is part of a new series stimulated by the Housing LIN’s Jeremy Porteus thoughts on preparing for ‘work ready’ housing and adapting the HAPPI design principle for work readiness.

Coronavirus Update

Latest government advice guidelines that are relevant for our sector include:

And remember you can check out all key documents by housing, health and social care on our Coronavirus Info Hub as well as all our practice briefings and signposting to other useful information and websites. 

Other relevant COVID-19 news include:

Specific advice guidelines in Scotland and Wales can be found in the relevant sections further down.

Other News from the Sector

Housing, Community, Disability, and Ageing

Homelessness

Health and care

Mental Health

Planning

Planning tracker

Tetlow King Logo

Older People’s Care Development – Local Development Plan Monitoring

In association with Tetlow King Planning, this document monitors current local authority planning consultations that may be of interest for those seeking to develop housing for older people. The tracker is updated fortnightly.

Wales

Welsh government guidance on COVID-19 can be found at: https://gov.wales/coronavirus

Other news include:

Scotland

Scottish government guidance on COVID-19 can be found at https://www.gov.scot/collections/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance/

Other news include:

Forthcoming Events

Housing LIN Events

Housing LIN Events - In light of the coronavirus outbreak we have cancelled all our upcoming regional meetings and training courses until further notice. We are currently exploring how to hold these events online, so watch this space!

Supported by the Housing LIN

Next week

And next week, we have 2 guest blogs coming out. The first by Suzanne Noble of Advantages of Age shares her learning from setting up virtual communities and the second Andre Damian from the collective foundation addresses ways to tackle loneliness and isolation.

With Thanks and Stay Safe

The Housing LIN would like to thank Willmott Dixon for their support in producing this newsletter.

Stay well, stay connected and be safe! And Happy Ramadan!

And remember to clap for carers tonight, especially for those working in extra care housing.