Hot off the press: HLINks – our essential sector news, including on COVID-19, new Housing LIN blogs and digital survey of members, and so much more
Jeremy talks….
Welcome to Jeremy talks and my weekly piece to audio to coincide with the Housing LIN's bulletin HLINks week ending 3rd July.
As a founding member of the HoME coalition, we were proud to put our name to a letter written to the Housing Minister that any relaxation of planning regulations must not lead to fewer accessible homes for older & disabled people. As announced by the Prime Minister this week, the government wants to 'build, build, build' and has hinted at a relaxation of planning regulations in a forthcoming White Paper. The HoME coalition is specifically asking the UK government to raise the ‘accessible and adaptable’ design standard set out in volume 1 of the Building Regulations so that M4 Category 2 becomes the mandatory baseline for all new homes. This accords with our commitment to the HAPPI design principles as a basis to further raise the standard of accessible homes and improve the housing options for all. Talk to us to find out more about how we are working with councils, social housing providers and developers to plan and create better housing choices for our ageing population and how we can assist you.
In this week's edition of HLINks, we also feature two new guest blogs sent in by Housing LIN supporters as well as invite you to take part in an important new survey on our sectors' digital response to Covid-19. To read these and a round-up of relevant news and events on housing, health and social care matters, check out our latest weekly bulletin on our website or register online to receive our alerts and other notifications of your choice sent direct to your inbox.
And, if you would like to talk with us about any matters highlighted and/or share learning about your work, email Jeremy talks at: info@housinglin.org.uk
Listen to Jeremy talks… here
Best wishes and stay safe, Jeremy
New Housing LIN Products
This week, we teamed up with Appello to release a survey on our sector’s digital appetite under COVID-19 and also published 2 new guest blogs as follows:
Have your say: Will COVID-19 be the catalyst for greater use of technology in supported housing?
Appello, in partnership with the Housing LIN, are calling on your support to help identify changes in perceptions on technology and identify best practices for the sector moving forward.
Please take a few moments to complete this short survey by Thursday, 16th July. And, by completing the survey, you will also have the option to receive the results, once published in the form of a short report.
New Blog: Care Hotels – from hospital to homely hospitality
In the first of our two blogs this week, Anne-Marie Nicolson, Partner at PRP architects, suggests that we need to think beyond our current health and social care architecture. She advocates for 'care hotels', a place where a patient can be rehabilitated and get back to full health.
New blog: COVID-19 and sheltered housing schemes
And in the second blog this week, Chris Smith, executive director of business growth at Thirteen, reflects on the impact of COVID-19 within the housing association’s sheltered and extra care housing schemes.
Coronavirus Update
A selection of latest government advice guidelines and plans that are relevant for our sector include:
- COVID-19: Guidance for the safe use of multi-purpose community facilities
- Letter from Minister for Rough Sleeping on funding for emergency accommodation during the pandemic, and support for EEA rough sleepers
- Coronavirus (COVID-19): Community Infrastructure Levy guidance
- Updated: Remediation and COVID-19: Building Safety update
Other relevant COVID-19 news include:
And remember, check out on our Coronavirus Info Hub for a range of Housing LIN practice briefings for the sector and links to other useful information and websites.
Also, post or reply to questions on our discussion forum. It allows you to share information, raise issues and ask questions to solve a tricky issue. For example, can you share your organisation’s COVID-19 risk plan in preparation for the 2nd wave or information about how you are engaging with residents?
Housing, Community, Disability, and Ageing
- Homes at the Heart campaign
The Housing LIN is proud to join the National Housing Federation and other leading bodies and networks to call for a ‘once in a generation’ investment in social housing.
- ARCO / County Councils Network report: Planning for Retirement - How Retirement Communities can help meet the needs of our ageing population
Opinion pieces and blogs:
- Agile Ageing Alliance round-up: Lock Down 2020's Most Inspirational Day!
- Inside Housing (registration required): One in three have suffered health problems during lockdown because of poor housing, survey shows
- InCommon blog: Our New Normal
Design and Technology
We are pleased to support the 2020 national Housing Design Awards and the category, Senior housing developments that are truly HAPPI. Amongst the 16 awards to be given out over 4 consecutive nights (see our events section for details), there is also a new category on Building a Healthy Life.
- Urban Design Group: Building for a Healthy Life - The latest version of Building for Life 12
Opinion pieces and blogs:
Health and care
- KCL report: Helping adult day centres to ‘unlock lockdown
- Health is made at Home: Hospitals are for Repairs
Opinion pieces and blogs:
- Homes at the Heart health briefing: Housing issues during lockdown: health, space and overcrowding
- Emerald Journal: Apart but not Alone? A cross-sectional study of neighbour support in a major UK urban area during the COVID-19 lockdown
- Social Care Future blog: Commissioning is dead? Long live…?
Dementia
- Housing and Dementia Research Consortium: All those who wander are not lost - Walking with purpose in Extra Care, Retirement and Domestic Housing
Planning tracker
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
Scotland
Scottish government guidance on COVID-19 can be found at https://www.gov.scot/collections/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance/
Watch again: Recover / Reset / Regenerate conference
Anyone who either dipped in and out or missed last week’s joint Foundations / ADASS / Housing LIN conference, or wants to watch again, can now view it in full or click on the sessions you want to see under the link below:
Upcoming 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! In the meantime, we are pleased to be involved/support the following virtual events:
Next week
We look forward to releasing our updated Design & Cost Model tool, in partnership with Pozzoni Architecture, RLB and CPC Cost Consultants. We will also be publishing two new guest blogs; the first looks at how resilient community networks in Madrid supported older adults cope with loneliness and isolation, and the second explores homelessness and mental health services in Gloucestershire under lockdown.
The Housing LIN would like to thank Willmott Dixon for their support in producing this newsletter.