Intensive Tenancy Support (ITS)
The information on this page relates to Bristol based ITS services. If you are in North Somerset, please click here for information regarding ITS services in your area.
What is Intensive Tenancy Support (ITS)?
ITS is a service for people with complex mental health needs who are finding it difficult coping with their tenancy and are at risk of losing or abandoning their home as a result.
For instance, you may have difficulties around budgeting money, paying rent and other bills or keeping up with paperwork. Perhaps you are living without the furniture you need or the necessary utilities being connected such as water or power. Or maybe you are finding your tenancy difficult because you are lonely or need support with drug or alcohol dependency.
What support will I receive?
ITS is designed around an individuals specific needs. For example, it may be appropriate for you to have daily contact with team members or maybe weekly. Together we can come up with a support plan based on your own needs and interests. We can offer a wide range of support, both practical and emotional, this includes help with sorting out your financial situation through grants or loans, filling in forms, talking to utility companies or helping with your home, having someone to talk to and helping you to meet people in your community. We can also liaise with other agencies and services on your behalf.
Every six months we will review the level of support you receive. Our aim is to help you to get to the stage where you are able to manage your accommodation with the right levels of support, develop a suitable support network and become more independent.
Do I need a referral to this service?
Yes, you would normally be referred to us by health, housing or social workers, other housing providers, advice agencies or voluntary organisations.
You can contact us directly but we will ask for background information about you from another agency or organisation.
Who can use this service?
If you want to be considered for ITS support, you need to:
-
have current mental health needs, requiring some level of support to live independently;
- be single and aged over 16;
- willing to accept support;
- have basic living skills and have the ability to maintain your own home;
- be able to take your own prescribed medication;
- agree to follow Second Step's equal opportunities policy; and
- be finding it difficult to manage your tenancy; or
- be living in unsuitable accommodation (such as a bed and breakfast, residential home, or in hospital), waiting to get housing or at risk of becoming homeless.
You may be part of a family or have a partner, but we will only give support to people on an individual basis - not to the whole family or couples. Please discuss this with us.
Will I need to pay anything?
If you are unemployed and on benefits it is unlikely that you will have to pay anything for using this service.
If you do have savings or other income, please discuss this with us. Our funding for this service comes from the Government's "Supporting People" programme.
What happens next?
If you are referred to us, you will need to fill in an application form and an assessment form so we that we can have some background information about you. We will then set up a meeting with you to look at your specific needs to see if we can help.
If you would like more information about ITS, please click the link below to download a PDF version of our information leaflet. Intensive Tenancy Support Leaflet
Alternatively, you can call us on
Tel: 0117 909 6373.
or email us at:
intensive@second-step.co.uk
If you would like to apply to us directly, please click the link below to download our Application Form:
Second Step Application for Housing & Support Services