The government will support 15 new locally dedicated support services across the country to help up to 10,000 older people stay independent for longer, Housing Minister Kris Hopkins has announced.
The new local FirstStop services, supported by £1 million government funding, will give older people a helping hand to stay independent and make choices about where and how they live in later life.
Opening one of the new services in York, Mr Hopkins said FirstStop already had a strong track record after helping 20,000 older people last year.
FirstStop works with partners such as Age UK, local councils and home improvement agencies to provide tailored advice and practical support for older people who may be struggling to cope in their own homes but remain determined to keep living independently.
FirstStop helps older people by offering:
- support with adaptations: giving advice on estimates from local contractors, and helping to ensure people get the best value for money as well as offering advice on how to cope while the work is in progress
- a handypersons scheme which carries out simple but essential works such as small home repairs and jobs around the house at a reasonable cost
- financial advice and help to get the best utility deals and make homes more energy efficient
- help with housework and shopping
- befriending services and organising social meetings between friends.
Housing Minister Kris Hopkins said: "It’s natural that older people want to remain independent in their own homes, which they have worked hard for and built so many memories in. This government is determined to enable more people to do just that.
"As we get older we not only need to change the way we live, we need to change we the homes we live in. This can be a daunting task, so the free advice and practical support provided by FirstStop is invaluable.
"That’s why I’m delighted to be in York to open the new FirstStop service in the city. It will be run with support from the government, and is one of 15 new local services that will help up to 10,000 older people remain independent and continue to live in their own homes."
While in York the minister met with the older members of the community visiting Auden House, an older persons housing scheme in the city centre, to get more information on housing and support for older people and to hear about the local FirstStop service.
John Galvin, Chief Executive of Elderly Accommodation Counsel (EAC), the charity behind the FirstStop initiative, said: "I am delighted to see this new local service open its doors, and very much welcome the government’s support for it. Helping older people ensure that their homes suit their changing needs can improve their lives enormously as well as reduce the risks of illness and accidents and all the costs these incur."