Housing+ is a new model for delivery of council housing services. It is a personalised service that aims to provide additional support to help people look after themselves and their home through our neighbourhood officers.
In 2012, the Housing Service transferred back into the council from Sheffield Homes. Following consultation with tenants and leaseholders, project groups made up of customers and staff developed the following vision statements, on which Housing+ is modelled:
- one size doesn’t fit all, we should deliver services in a way which meets the needs of local people
- we should work with the whole household to help them achieve their aspirations
- we should do more pre-tenancy work with applicants so they are better supported from the beginning of their tenancy
- we should work with the whole family and make links with carers, GPs and other health professionals
- we should nurture stronger communities by encouraging people to become more involved
- we should manage and look after our estates effectively to make them safer and more attractive
- we should give more budgeting advice and support to tenants and leaseholders - especially those affected by the Welfare Benefits Reform
Test phase
A test phase took place in the South East of the City from June 2014 to see how Housing+ worked and make improvements before it was rolled out in 2016. 500 customers were invited to tell us about their experience of using Housing+. 93% of those taking part said they would recommend Housing+ and the majority rated their Neighbourhood Officer as very helpful.
Housing+ annual visit
A new aspect of the Housing+ service is an annual visit to every household to check that everything is okay with the tenant, their home and tenancy.
It’s a great opportunity for Neighbourhood Officers to get to know people on their patch and for customers to raise any issues they might have. It can help to identify extra support where needed.
The Housing+ visit is a routine part of the new service and nothing to worry about.
We see it as an important way for Neighbourhood Officers to get to know their customers and become more visible on estates across Sheffield; something we know our tenants value.
Neighbourhood Officers will get in touch with tenants individually to arrange a mutually convenient time for the annual visit.
If you have any queries about this please contact us.