THOUSANDS of older people across Scotland could suffer through changes to the benefits system, housing associations claim.

Three of Scotland’s largest housing associations have joined together to urge the Scottish Government to find a long-term solution to the challenge of on ageing population.

In a document published today, housing associations Bield, Hanover and Trust (BHT) also push funding to help with better integration of health and social care services across the country.

The housing associations raised concerns that changes to the housing benefits system could lead to a reduction in services for those in enhanced housing management, retirement, sheltered and very sheltered housing, as well as block the supply of older persons supported housing across Scotland.

BHT have also called for clarity around short-term funding for this type of accommodation.

Under proposed changes to the benefits system, housing benefit will be capped at the level of local housing allowance which was established to control housing benefit for rent levels in the private sector.

BHT said they believe a blanket approach applying the local housing allowance to public sector rents will have severe and long-lasting consequences for older people.

These include property rental payments to housing associations being capped, loss of income and a failure to cover essential staffing costs in sheltered, very sheltered, retirement and enhanced housing management services and supported housing developments becoming unaffordable and forced to close or converted to general needs housing.

The housing associations estimate that the impact in their properties alone would affect 8,547 tenants, create a funding gap of £16.3m per year, bring threat to the current status of 303 developments across Scotland and put 1,122 jobs at risk due to required service redesign.

Whilst there have been commitments given that a top-up fund will be made available for supported housing,it is claimed the lack of certainty over the funding arrangements presents a major risk for Bield, Hanover and Trust, creating short-falls which could result in the reduction in the provision of supported housing.

This would put significant additional pressure on local acute services, already operating at breaking point in many areas, the associations said.

BHT have said they want a commission to examine long-term funding of supported housing, clarity around definition of what constitutes supported housing and detail on provision of 50,000 new homes to ensure adequate supply.

It has also called for certainty around top-up funding levels and timescales and better working practices between health and social care providers.

Helen Murdoch, chief executive of Hanover Scotland, said: “Government policies such as the welcome focus on closer working between health and social care rely heavily on the services provided at sites operated by Bield, Hanover and Trust.

“We all appreciate the work already done by the Scottish Government and others to address the complex and challenging problems facing the supply and provision of supported housing but believe there is more that could be done to plan for the future.”

She added: "We want to work with the Scottish Government and other stakeholders to find effective ways of funding housing and support services for older people in both the immediate term and into the future.

"Without this, costs on the public purse are likely to increase significantly as more pressure is put onto acute services.”