Support Services
Household vulnerability and reasonable adjustments
Vulnerabilities can be shaped by a variety of factors, such as age, disability, bereavement, domestic abuse, or mental health challenges. These circumstances can change over time, and it's important that we're aware of them to better support you.
If you feel there is a vulnerability in your household that we should know about, please contact our Housing Contact Centre. An advisor will ask if you need any reasonable adjustments when we provide services. Examples might include extra time to answer the door or scheduling appointments through a support worker.
Reasonable adjustments can also include adaptations to your home. Find out further information about aids and adaptations.
If you require additional support, your Housing Officer will complete a Household Support Review and either refer you for extra help or guide you to relevant services.
When you contact our Housing Contact Centre to request a repair, or report issues like damp, mould, or leaks, an advisor will also ask if there are any vulnerabilities in your household that we should be aware of.
Getting to Know You
We want to make sure that our housing service meets your needs in the best way possible. We are doing this through our Getting to Know You campaign and asking you to fill in the form on the link below to provide us with up-to-date information about you and the people in your household.
The questions include information about your personal circumstances as well as whether you have any vulnerabilities or support needs that may affect the service you need from us.
We will use this information to better understand your needs. For example, if we know that you have a mobility issue, we can inform officers who visit your home to give you enough time to get to your front door.
If you have any questions or concerns about the information we require in the form, please contact us and we will be happy to talk to you about this.
Complete our Getting to know you form
People First
There is a wealth of services across Westminster that can provide advice, support and help. This might include practical support to get about and be active in the community, help with wellbeing and emotional issues, and much more.
People First is an information and resource directory for Westminster City Council and Kensington and Chelsea councils.
It has been designed to help you find information on a range of health and social care topics, including:
- health and wellbeing
- looking after someone (being a carer)
- money and legal matters
- being at home
- work and learning
- staying safe
It also provides information on local groups, activities and services within both Westminster and Kensington and Chelsea communities.
The site is updated regularly with new services, activities and events, and topical information and advice.
Visit the People First website for more information and resources.
Floating support
Do you need help to remain independent in your own home? If so, our community based floating support service, provided by SHP may be able to help.
SHP can offer you flexible and tailored support to help you to retain your independence and support your well-being.
Through visits, phone calls, or online communication the service helps residents with needs relating to tenancy sustainment, tenancy issues, income maximisation/benefit issues, budgeting, and personal development with living skills and employment, training and educational related matters.
Empowering residents to set and achieve their goals, the service fosters self-confidence and resilience. It strives to support residents to upskill so they can feel more confident in tackling issues that may arise in the future and connect residents with relevant resources, ensuring a safe and stable living environment while encouraging self-sufficiency.
The service can be accessed by referral from your professional network, your Housing Officer or via self-referral.
If you would like to be referred for support, please call us on 0800 358 3783.
Substance misuse
Drugs and Alcohol
If you feel that substance use is a causing a problem in your life Turning Point could help you:
Turning Point - Support we offer
You can refer yourself or someone else using this online form:
Turning Point - Self referral form
Alcohol
If you would like support relating to alcohol misuse Change Grow Live could help you:
The Alcohol Service (changegrowlive.org)
Phone: 0800 014 7440
Email: [email protected]
You can refer yourself or someone else using this online form:
The Alcohol Service - Self referral form
Resources to help improve your health
For further information about services that could help to improve your health:
Resources to help improve your health
Health services – local NHS services
Tenants who wish to improve their general health can visit the NHS Better Health website. The site offers advice and support to help with stopping smoking and drinking alcohol. It also gives information on ways to improve sleep, reduce stress and improve eating habits. The site also offers free mobile apps that monitor activity and consumption, making it easier to identify ways in which improvements can be made.
Help to remain in your home
There are many other organisations and websites that can help you to feel safe and secure in your home as you get older. These may be charities or government funded services and they provide a range of services that you may find useful.
People First work with residents of Westminster, Kensington and Chelsea and Hammersmith and Fulham. They support older residents to live independently and offer advice on a range of issues that can affect older people. They also provide links to other professional services and leaflets on The Care Act, support in the home, information for carers, health and well-being and more.
Visit the People First website
Westminster Council can also help with a range of specially designed equipment or minor adaptions to help promote your independence, such as grab rails, shower seats and door intercoms.
If you are a council tenant in Westminster and need adaptions to your home to give you more freedom you can contact the Social Services Customer Services Centre for an assessment.
Call: 020 7641 2500 or to find out further information about aids and adaptations
Help to leave your home
There are many reasons you may want to move, such as downsizing, job changes, being closer to family and friends, or reducing daily living costs. In addition to offering support to help you stay in your home, we also provide guidance and assistance when you're ready to move.
To find further information when moving out of your home
Dementia
Westminster City Council are members of the Westminster Dementia Action Alliance and our staff are encouraged to sign up to the Alzheimer’s Society’s Dementia Friends. This means that our staff can help in putting you in touch with organisations/agencies that can help.
If you are in a household where dementia is present and require adaptations in your property you can find out more here.
The Alzheimer’s Society run the National Dementia Hotline and can be contacted on 0300 222 1122.
Households where dementia is present may need support with decision making.
The Advocacy Project is open to Westminster residents aged 65 and over.
One Westminster Advocacy Project also provides similar assistance.
Isolation
Isolation is a growing concern for many older residents. There are a number of events listed on our events calendar offered by AgeUK, the Dementia Action Alliance and similar agencies for older Westminster residents. These events include cinema showings, musical performances and digital inclusion meetings.
AgeUK run iTea events that help to introduce older people to the benefits of email and social media. Westminster tenants are welcome to attend. https://www.ageuk.org.uk/
Most events are free of charge and those that aren’t are subject to a nominal fee.
CAB
Westminster Citizens Advice Bureau Service provide free, independent and confidential advice for residents of Westminster. https://www.westminstercab.org.uk/
You can call CAB on 0808 278 7834 (press option 4).
Rent Support Fund
Westminster City Council's Rent Support Fund has been created specifically to help those in financial difficulty. The money will be used to support households who are not entitled to full housing benefits with rent increases.
If you need assistance, you can also register your interest using the form below and an income officer will contact you.
You can also contact the Income Services Team on 0800 358 3783 (option 1, then option 2) 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday or email [email protected].
