Capacity are no strangers to working with Plus Dane, having worked together on an ongoing basis to deliver Poets Streets with 4 other registered housing providers and Sefton Council.
Back in Spring 2023, the team at Plus Dane asked for our help again. This time, they wanted our support to explore opportunities to develop supported housing projects throughout Cheshire and Merseyside. Alongside this, they wanted to understand how alternative sources of capital could be accessed and what opportunities exist to form new funding models. This work is part of Plus Dane’s ambition to tackle social inequality by enabling individuals and communities to thrive.
What we heard
Like all our projects, we started by understanding what existing data could tell us about the challenge at hand. We undertook a desktop review of national policy and local authority plans to build a better understanding of the current picture of supported housing at a national and a local level. Then, we set about talking to over 80 individuals from across the Liverpool City Region, Cheshire and Warrington. We engaged with leaders from 9 local authorities, including Commissioners and Housing Teams, ICBs and providers.
We heard that:
- There is an unprecedented need in the supported housing space. Local authorities are keen to develop relationships with housing providers to respond to increasing demand.
- Currently, there are a lot of gaps in provision. This includes supported housing for care leavers, extra care, unaccompanied asylum seekers, those with mental health needs and those with learning disabilities.
- Across the board, there was a consistent request for homes with their ‘own front door’, as well as access to communal spaces and appropriate service provision.
What we did
All this research and engagement allowed us to develop a detailed final report for Plus Dane. This report included:
- The national context, detailing what our research and engagement told us about the current supported housing landscape.
- Examples of best practice, showcasing innovative work that’s happening nationally in the sector.
- A local authority ‘temperature check’, highlighting where opportunities for partnership working are strongest.
- A directory of backers, listing organisations that could offer alternative finance options.
- Recommendations for future ways of working, focused on strategy, community engagement, alternative funding models and best practice.
In 2024, we entered the second phase of this project alongside Plus Dane, supporting the team to deliver a blend of longer-term objectives and quick wins to build the momentum of this work to make their supported housing ambitions a reality.
So, what’s next?
Throughout 2025, we’ll continue to support Plus Dane, building on phase 1 of this work. We’ll be providing more clarity on what this supported housing offer will look like, take forward alternative finance opportunities and establish a clear pipeline of 2-3 areas of focus.
