Support in your home
There are lots of support services available to you as a Kingston Council tenant. The information on this page outlines some of the key services Housing Services provides, as well as those provided by other sections of the Council. The information is available in printed format or for you to download as a pdf (see related documents below) however please note that since publication the contact numbers have changed and the Floating Support Service is no longer available.
If you live in sheltered housing please also go to the related link below for further information.
Use the shortcut links to go to the information you need:
Services provided by other sections of the Council
(Learning and Children's Services, Community Care for Adults, Supporting People Programme)
Your Estate Manager
Your estate manager's role is to be aware of and deal with resident, community and estate issues. This service is available to all tenants and leaseholders.
Your estate manager can help you with any tenancy related issues. These include:
- Providing advice about the Council’s services.
- Dealing with any changes to tenancies (for example, in cases of marriage or divorce).
- Dealing with transfer requests and mutual exchanges.
- Enforcing tenancy agreement conditions.
- Keeping up to date records of who lives in our properties, and any relevant information about tenants and their household.
- Making sure that empty council properties are re-let as soon as possible.
- Dealing with complaints about anti-social behaviour and harassment.
- Giving advice and assistance to tenants regarding domestic violence and racial harassment.
- Dealing with emergencies such as fire and flood.
- Working closely with local councillors and tenants’ representatives to make The Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames a better place to live.
- Attending tenants’ and residents’ association meetings, when invited.
- Working with other agencies for the benefit of residents.
Estate managers also liaise with the Estate Services Teams to ensure the efficient delivery and monitoring of grounds maintenance and caretaking services.
Your estate manager will visit you in the first few weeks of your tenancy when you can discuss any concerns you have or ask any questions about your tenancy. They will also be able to put you in touch with or tell you about other services and agencies in your area that may be suitable for your needs. If you have any concerns or questions about your tenancy or estate you can speak to your estate manager at one of the housing surgeries or make an appointment to see them through the Customer Contact Centre.
Your Income Recovery Manager
Your Income Recovery Manager is available to provide advice and assistance with paying your rent including help with claiming any benefits that you may be eligible for. If you are having difficulties with paying your rent you must let your Income Recovery Manager know immediately. For further information please go the related links 'Your Rent' and Dealing with Rent Arrears'.
Resettlement Team Service
The Resettlement Team Service works with accepted homeless applicants aged between 16 and 64 with a variety of vulnerabilities, to help them when they move into their new homes and to help them maintain their tenancy.
The team provides advice and practical support based on an individual assessment and a support plan to enable people to successfully settle into and maintain their own home.
You may get help from the Resettlement Team Service if you have any of the following:
- Mental health problems.
- Drug and alcohol problems or are recovering.
- Have been in, or are fleeing, a domestic abuse situation.
- A learning disability.
- A vulnerability due to poor physical health/disability.
- Or you are a young person aged 16-24.
All applicants have to be referred” to the Resettlement Team Service. Referrals can come through the Allocations Team, the Lettings Team, your Estate Manager, Community Mental Health Teams (CMHT), Community Care Teams/GPs, women’s refuges or support agencies (statutory or voluntary).
You can ask any of the above housing teams, community care departments or support agencies to refer you to the Resettlement Team Service if you feel they can help you.
The Resettlement Team Service can help you with:
- Setting up gas/electricity accounts and arranging the installation of gas/electric meters where appropriate.
- Applying for Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit and monitoring the progress of these claims.
- Applying for benefits, grants and loans from the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP).
- Finding second hand furniture.
- General advice in budgeting.
- Finding and accessing other support services.
- Registering with GPs/schools etc.
- Help with accessing college training and return to work schemes.
- Resolving any rent arrears problems you may have.
- Representing your needs by working in partnership with estate management over problems with antisocial behaviour.
For more information on the Resettlement Team Service go to the related link below or you can ask your estate manager.
Repairs Service
The quickest way to report a repair is to call the Customer Contact Centre on 020 8547 5003.
For information on the repairs service please go to our related link 'How to report a Council housing repair'.
The Handyman Service
The Handyman Service is available to tenants and is appointed on a priority basis. The service can do minor repairs such as putting up shelves or curtain tracks and fittings but you have to provide the materials, that is, the brackets, track, nails and so on. This service does not include any gardening work. Your estate manager can advise you as to what is covered by this service and whether you are eligible to receive it.
Services provided by other sections of the Council
There are many support services available in addition to those provided by Housing Services. A few are outlined below but for more information please speak to your estate manager or look on the Council's website www.kingston.gov.uk
Learning and Children’s Services
Housing Services and Learning and Children’s Services provide a service to support families with any housing problems. For information, help or advice contact Lorraine Johnson at the Housing Help Desk on 020 8547 6231 or 07759 008 773 (mobile) or email lorraine.johnson@rbk.kingston.gov.uk
Community Care for Adults
This service helps vulnerable adults who live in the borough to keep their independence, stay safe and enjoy a reasonable quality of life. This service may be available if:
- You are a frail older person.
- You are physically disabled or ill.
- You have a sight or hearing loss.
- You have a mental illness which makes it difficult for you to cope with everyday life.
- You have a learning disability.
- You have problems with drugs or alcohol.
- You are living with HIV.
- You need help to look after a family member or friend.
- You need to stay safe and free from harm.
Before the service can be offered you will need to have an assessment of your care and support needs. People who have, or are soon likely to have, "Critical" or "Substantial" needs will be offered assistance. These needs include situations where:
- You are being abused or likely to be abused or neglected.
- Your health is poor resulting in the need for medical care.
- You cannot manage your own personal care.
- You cannot make important decisions for yourself.
- Your work or education is, or is likely to be, disrupted.
- Your current support can no longer care for you.
- You cannot carry out normal parenting or family responsibilities.
For further information contact Community Care Services on 020 8547 5005 or complete the online form - see related links below.
Supporting People Programme
Supporting People is a national programme set up by the Government. It aims to make sure people get the housing-related support they need to live more independently, avoiding life in a care home or hospital, for example, or life on the street. It gives housing-related support to more than 1.2 million people, helping them to make a success of their tenancies, or to move to independent living from other places such as prison or hospital. The service is for anyone who needs support to live more independently.
For example, someone who has:
- been homeless
- been in prison
- drug or alcohol problems
- mental health problems
- HIV/AIDS
- learning difficulties
- physical or sensory disability
- been at risk of domestic violence
- difficulty coping due to age (such as older people, teenage parents, young people at risk of offending)
- come to the UK as a refugee
- a history of tenancies breaking down.
The Supporting People programme covers only housing-related support services, for example, help with life skills to support living independently, such as cooking, paying bills or budgeting, A full list of supporting people services available within the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames can be viewed or downloaded by visiting www.kingston.gov.uk/spdirectory_list.pdf. Alternatively, ask your estate manager or scheme manager for a copy. You can also find out about Supporting People Services in Kingston and the rest of England and who to contact to access them by using the Supporting People National Directory at www.spdirectory.org.uk.
For more information on Supporting People go to the related link 'Housing Support Services'.