CPD-004-122-023-National Body for Home Improvement Agencies (HIAs)

Descriptions

This requirement is for a new two-and-a-half-year contract for an organisation to act as a national body for HIAs on an England-wide basis. HIAs are typically locally based, non-profit services, providing around 50% of Disabled Facilities Grants (DFGs). We are seeking to ensure coverage of vital national body support to HIAs as well as all local authorities - both in the 71% of local areas in England that have HIA coverage and for local authorities that administer DFGs in house - to help drive efficiency, effectiveness and value for money in local DFG delivery. Government funding for the DFG in 2021-22 totals £573 million. We are therefore seeking proposals from Tenderers that can demonstrate the necessary expertise and experience to: - act as a centre of expertise and central point of coordination for all local authorities and HIAs; - provide expert information, advice, training and accreditation to local authorities, HIAs and the wider home adaptations sector around their DFG delivery; - help promote the integration of housing, health and social care through sharing best practice around the inclusion of home adaptations in local strategies, commissioning and investment planning; - represent the sector, co-ordinate views and offer leadership as well as steering the sector in dealings with outside stakeholders, including Government; - maintain websites and social media, which should include a publicly available database of all HIA services available in England, e-Newsletters, e-Bulletins, e-Briefings, reports and sharing good practice guides; - gather front-line intelligence around local DFG delivery across England for Government and develop, maintain and analyse the data; and - provide insight to inform MHCLG about the home adaptations policy delivery landscape and advise on policy development around home adaptations as required.