Bromford, West Midlands

MyPlace, an innovative supported housing model providing a home for life for people living with long-term needs.
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What we did

In the face of Government funding cuts for supported housing, Bromford developed MyPlace, a long-term sustainable housing solution for vulnerable people with a learning or physical disability or mental health condition needing somewhere safe to live. With standardised design and procurement, MyPlace schemes are economical to build, making them viable without HCA grant.

How we did it

Key to the product’s success was the early involvement of commissioners, advising on the specific types of specialist housing needed, the suitability of land and potential partners that could also benefit from the building of MyPlace schemes in their neighbourhoods. A regular steering group involving the local authority, social services, community mental health teams, care providers and family members ensures that the needs of everyone are met throughout the process.

Building all the schemes to the same size and dimensions means that the procurement of materials is much cheaper, as they can be bought in bulk. This standardisation makes the MyPlace model extremely cost effective, allowing Bromford to invest the savings into more schemes while also making the model easy to replicate elsewhere. Rents and service charges are currently eligible for housing benefit but may require top-up funding from the local authority if the LHA cap is introduced. And individual care packages are funded through PIPs or adult social care.

The impact we’ve had

• A new model for self-funded supported housing and a solution to the revenue and capital funding issues facing care and support services.
• A replicable procurement model, based on standardised schemes up of 14 self-contained one-bedroom apartments with a shared community hub
• An offer that ensures customers receive a care and support package to suit their needs, their own front door, their own space, a chance to live more independently and a tenancy agreement that gives them rights and protection that they may not have had in their previous accommodation.