Interim findings from the first year of an independent evaluation of the Department for Communities and Local Government handyperson programme have been published. Undertaken by the University of York, the evaluation will measure the success and value for money of the programme and whether the needs of clients were met. It will also assemble evidence on setting up and operating successful services.
These interim findings provide emerging evidence about the preventative nature of handyperson services in avoiding costs elsewhere. Final findings will be available later in 2011.
In 2009/10 the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) introduced a handypersons grant allocating approximately £13m in 2009/10 and £17m in 2010/11 to local authorities in England. This funding was made available to help kick-start handyperson services where they didn't exist and to build capacity and range of services where they did. From April 2011, handypersons funding will be rolled into Formula Grant.
Alongside this funding, DCLG commissioned the Centre for Housing Policy and York Health Economics Consortium, at the University of York, to undertake an independent evaluation of the national programme. The evaluation will measure the success and value for money of the programme, and whether needs of clients were met. It will also assemble evidence on setting up and operating successful services.
This briefing summarises the findings from the first year of evaluation, comprising results of a review of the literature, surveys of local authorities and service providers, and case study interviews with key stakeholders, including service providers, in local authorities.
The literature review found strong evidence about the impact of handyperson type interventions on improved wellbeing, independent living and easier access to appropriate services including minor home adaptations on reducing falls and
hospital discharge (where such services include trip hazard assessment and intervention, grab rail installation and other minor repairs) on reducing falls.
The report points out that postponing entry into residential care by a year saves on average £28,080 per person, preventing a fall leading to a hip fracture saves the state £28,665 on average and housing adaptations reduce the costs of home care (saving £1,200 to £29,000 a year)
Overall spend by local authorities on handyperson services increased by 48 per cent between 2008/09 and 2009/10. The DCLG handyperson funds received represented 43 per cent of spend on handyperson services in 2009/10.
The average cost per client was £90 for those service providers able to identify the impact of DCLG funding, and £100 for those unable to identify the impact of DCLG funding separate from other handyperson funding received. Cost per job would produce a lower figure as a client may receive several visits and benefit from several activities: the average number of jobs per client was 1.5. These average costs are comparable to other handyperson services.
The final evaluation report, due in autumn 2011, will include full analysis of the value for money of the national programme using the information collected from local authorities and providers to feed through the DCLG Handypersons Financial Benefits Toolkit. Below is an example from the literature of how this approach to demonstrating value for money has been used at a local level in one handyperson service.
For more details on the report, go HERE