Dame Caroline Dinenage MP visits Abbeyfield Tamar House to mark Starts at Home Day

The annual event is aimed at highlighting and celebrating the value of sheltered housing (also known as supported housing), raising awareness and building political support for the future of the sector in the UK.

The houses are managed by the not-for-profit Abbeyfield Living Society (ALS), which operates a network of sheltered housing schemes, care homes and independent living complexes for older people across the country.

ALS sheltered housing schemes afford residents the privacy of their own room within a communal living setting, with shared facilities such as a lounge, garden and dining room. Two nutritious meals a day and a wide-ranging optional activities schedule are provided, affording the residents the opportunity to socialise and to keep mentally and physically active. The focus is on enabling residents to maintain their independence as much as possible, with day-to-day tasks including housekeeping, laundry and gardening taken care of. ALS services also give their residents the opportunity to engage with people and organisations within their local community, through outings, inviting visitors in, partnering with other organisations and taking part in local initiatives.

For Starts at Home Day, Dame Caroline’s visit presented an opportunity for the residents to meet their political representative and talk to her about life at Tamar House and the benefits of living in an ALS sheltered housing property.

Following a tour of the facilities, the MP also spoke with staff at the houses, who explained the perks of working for ALS and the challenges faced by sheltered housing providers.

Such challenges, which are experienced nationwide, are largely generated by government funding cuts over recent years, which has serious knock-on effects on the quantity and quality of services they can provide for their residents.

Starts at Home Day is part of the National Housing Federations’ (NHF) #SaveOurSupportedHousing campaign, which aims to encourage the government to increase the amount of funding for supported housing projects available and make the funds easier to obtain. It is hoped that doing so will prevent a repeat or worsening of the statistics from 2024, with one in three supported housing schemes closing their doors for good.

Dame Caroline said, “It was a pleasure to visit Tamar House, a service that plays a vital role in supporting older people in our community. Speaking with residents, it was clear they feel safe, supported and empowered to maintain their independence in a warm and welcoming environment.

“The strong sense of community, fostered through social opportunities and connections with the local area, highlights just how important sheltered housing is in today’s society.

“In my conversations with staff, the challenges facing sheltered housing providers were made clear. I look forward to exploring how I can support organisations like ALS to ensure they can continue delivering high-quality services in Gosport and across the country.”

ALS’ participation in Starts at Home Day represents a continuation of its efforts to engage more widely in politically aligned activity and public affairs. The organisation is an active contributor to the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Housing and Care for Older People, and sponsored its 2024 inquiry into the regeneration of outdated sheltered housing, with a focus on how schemes can be modernised to meet 21st century expectations. Alongside organisations such as the NHF, ALS aims to influence government policy in order to secure the future of sheltered housing and prepare for an increasingly ageing and diverse population.