FOI: My Space Housing Solutions
Dear Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council,
To whom it may concern,
Please could you provide the following information, in relation to social housing provider, My Space Housing Solutions.
i) Does the local authority currently have any ongoing partnerships with My Space Housing Solutions?
ii) If so, how many individuals are currently tenants of properties managed by My Space Housing Solutions?
iii) What is the total financial cost of this to the local authority's housing budget?
iiii) How many of the tenancies being funded are classed as ‘voids’ or empty accommodation?
The second part of this request is in relation to an enforcement notice issued against My Space Housing Solutions in January 2023 (see link below).
https://www.gov.uk/government/publicatio...
The notice includes a direction to “advise the local authority that My Space has concluded that it does not provide Specialised Supported Housing for the majority of its tenants, despite the wording on My Space’s housing benefit/referral application stating that this was the case”.
2) i) Can you confirm whether the local authority has been made aware of this notice and the conclusion that My Space Housing Solutions does not provide Specialised Supported Housing , as stated above?
ii) If you are aware of this, what action is being taken to address it?
Yours faithfully,
Sarah Sinclair
Dear Ms Sinclair
Thank you for your enquiry.
Please see our response below. Please note that Adult Social Care only
commission with Care Providers, not Landlords/Housing Providers. It is
the responsibility of the commissioned Care Provider within services to
have the necessary agreement in place with the relevant Landlords/Housing
Providers. ASC has no involvement in such agreements as these are private
tenancies between Care Providers and Landlords/Housing Providers.
1.
i) Does the local authority currently have any ongoing partnerships with
My Space Housing Solutions?
We pay Housing Benefit on any eligible claims.
ii) If so, how many individuals are currently tenants of properties
managed by My Space Housing Solutions?
27
iii) What is the total financial cost of this to the local authority's
housing budget?
Weekly cost is £7922.70. My Space are currently a Registered Provider with
the RSH.
iiii) How many of the tenancies being funded are classed as ‘voids’ or
empty accommodation?
Housing Benefit is not paid in respect of empty or void property.
2)
i) Can you confirm whether the local authority has been made aware of this
notice and the conclusion that My Space Housing Solutions does not provide
Specialised Supported Housing , as stated above?
Yes, Wirral Council is aware of this Regulatory Notice.
ii) If you are aware of this, what action is being taken to address it?
No specific action was required as we are not treating the majority of the
accommodation as Specialised Supported Housing. Although our evidential
process does require My Space to prove sufficient support is in place for
the accommodation to be exempt.
Yours sincerely
Lynette Paterson
Principal Information Management Officer
Law and Corporate Services
Wirral Council
PO Box 290
Brighton Street
Wallasey
CH27 9FQ
Email: [1][Wirral Borough Council request email]
Visit our website: [2]www.wirral.gov.uk
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1. mailto:[Wirral Borough Council request email]
2. http://www.wirral.gov.uk/
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