New measures will come into effect on 1 April 2016 to promote greater fairness in the allocation of public sector accommodation for older people.

Members of Tynwald this week supported the introduction of revised assessment criteria for eligibility and prioritising access to sheltered housing. The changes reflect the Government’s national priority of protecting vulnerable members of the community.

From 1 April, a points-based system will be implemented to determine an older person’s priority for allocation, bringing the process more in line with that used for general public sector housing.

For the first time, people applying to move into sheltered housing will be assessed on their income and assets, as well as their health and wellbeing.

The current system for the allocation of public sector sheltered housing, which was last reviewed in 2002, focuses mainly on residency and does not take into account the financial circumstances of the applicant.

The Department of Infrastructure published the responses to the public consultation on its specific proposals last autumn, with respondents broadly in favour of the changes.

Infrastructure Minister Phil Gawne MHK said: ‘The modernisation of the system will promote greater fairness and will allow Government to better target its resources. Sheltered housing is more costly to provide and maintain than general public sector accommodation and is consequently more heavily subsidised from the public purse.’

He added: ‘Some people who currently access public sector sheltered housing are property owners or have recently sold a home and have significant financial assets. It is clearly not acceptable or sustainable to continue to provide substantially subsidised low cost housing to older people who have the means to pay for a suitable alternative in the private sector.’

There are provisions within the new criteria to assist people who are not eligible for public sector sheltered housing because of their financial circumstances, but whose needs cannot be met in the private sector. Access to public sector sheltered housing can still be allowed, but rental costs will be more aligned with the private sector.

Chris Thomas MHK, Department of Infrastructure Member with responsibility for Housing, commented: ‘The prioritisation process being introduced in April forms part of a wider five-year housing policy review that was agreed by Tynwald in November 2013 and developed in conjunction with the current sheltered housing providers. Public sector investment is not harmed and one benefit might be that private and third sector investment in older persons housing of various types is increased.’