COVID-19 Briefings
Restarting services guides for members*
The Social Housing Resilience Group has produced a guide to help our members manage services which have been disrupted due to the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic:
SFHA, the Housing Support and Enabling Unit and their members have produced a guide to support social landlords with restarting sheltered housing services which were paused during the lockdown phase of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
SFHA briefing notes for members*
SFHA has produced briefing notes to help our members through the COVID-19 crisis – click on the specific area of work below to go directly to that section:
The SFHA team will update the briefings as circumstances change and more information becomes available. These briefings are based on what our members are telling us they want from us. If you would like a new briefing or have any feedback on the published briefings, please contact enquiries@sfha.co.uk.
*Please check this page regularly as briefings will be continuously updated.
Please note that previous versions of this guide, published throughout 2020, were titled Guide to Restarting Services
This guide covers the following topics:
- services provided from housing offices
- the resumption and management of services delivered to tenants in their homes.
Version 8 updated on 7 January 2021 covers:
- Additional links to other resources (p2)
- Updates and additional links for new ‘stay at home’ guidance (p4, p18-19, p37)
- Updates and additional links for identifying key workers (p8 & p24)
- Appendix E: Example staff communication following latest ‘stay at home guidance’ (p9, p39-40)
- Hyperlinks and revisions dates updated throughout
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Download the PDF version form the viewer below or by clicking here.
Last updated 7 January 2021
During lockdown many Sheltered Housing services were put on hold in order to protect tenants and staff.
With the easing of lockdown, housing providers are now considering the practical measures required to restart services, enabling tenants to safely see friends and families again and access communal areas in line with government guidance on physical distancing and infection control.
A group of housing associations has come together with the SFHA and the Housing Support Enabling Unit to produce this guide which includes guidance, practical examples and a range of useful templates covering:
- Supporting tenants’ health and wellbeing
- Staff protection
- Test and protect
- The use and management of communal areas
- The use and management of other onsite facilities
- Communication with tenants
- Housing management
- Financial issues
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Download the PDF version by clicking here.
Published 13 August 2020
This briefing covers the following topics:
- Care and support guidance
- Infection Prevention and Control (IPC)
- Extending the use of face masks
- Latest COVID-19 care and support news
- Access to PPE
- Revised Testing Strategy
- Social care workers will be offered the free seasonal flu vaccine
- Previously reported COVID-19 care and support news
- Housing support services facing difficulties securing funding for 3.3% Scottish Living Wage (SLW) uplift in 2020/21
- Models of housing with care and support
- Revised national homelessness action plan
- Research into the role of supported housing as a response to homelessness
- Tenant support
- Housing First project for young people/care leavers
- Spaces for People – improving paths and cycle networks
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Download the PDF version by clicking here. You can view the previous version of this document published 19 May 2020 here.
Last updated 20 October 2020
Practical Governance Advice
This briefing covers the following topics:
- Annual General Meetings (AGMs)
- Governing Body Meetings
- Business Continuity
- Legal/Regulatory Obligations
- Business Continuity Update Template
- AGM Frequently Asked Questions
Version 4 published 19 August contains new information on:
- Postal voting at SGMs if adopting the SFHA Model Rules this year
- AGM process for items that do not require a vote
- Updates references to Scottish Housing Regulator Governance Briefing issued in August
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Download the PDF version by clicking here or the word version including templates by clicking here.
Last updated 19 August 2020
Health and Safety
This briefing covers the following topics:
- General health and safety advice related to COVID-19
- Personal protective equipment (PPE)
- Face coverings
- Safe access to property – carrying out checks and repairs, including gas safety
- Essential visits – engaging with tenants
- Close cleaning
- When to deep clean a property
- Tenant safety in communal areas
- Fire safety
- Housing support services
Version eight updated on 15 July covers:
- Updates to useful links on (p2)
- Additional information on face coverings (p4)
- Safe access to properties updated to reflect Phase 3 guidance (p5)
- Section on gas safety checks updated (p5)
- Guidance on accessing void properties updated (p8)
- Construction and maintenance section updated to reflect Phase 4 guidance (p9)
- Additional links to CICV Forum resources (p9)
- Additional information on home visits (p10)
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Download the PDF version by clicking here.
Last updated 15 July 2020
This briefing covers the following topics:
- SHR data return
- SFHA data return
- Furlough
- Annual General Meetings
- Audit/annual account deadlines
- Other submission date extensions
- Commercial Borrowing
- Online finance forum group
- Virtual forum meetings
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Download the PDF version by clicking here.
Last updated 9 July 2020
This briefing covers the following topics:
- Changes to Timescales Repealed
- Key Points to Remember
- Further Information
- Template letters
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Download the PDF version by clicking here or the FOI letter word template clicking here.
Last updated 22 June 2020
This briefing covers the following topics:
- Managing Staff
- Employer’s Duties
- Key Workers
- Other Staff
- COVID-19 Texting for Staff
- Managing Essential Services
- Regulation and Current Restrictions
- Tenant Support
- Tenant Services
- Allocations
- Multi-storey and High-density Flats
- Recording Service Disruption
- Supporting Social Distancing
- Appendix
- Communication Templates
- Key Worker Framework
- Sample Telephone Questionnaire
- Indicative Contactless Letting Protocol
- Useful Links
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Last updated 10 June 2020. Please note that this briefing is no longer being updated.
This briefing covers the following topics:
- Emergency help for those worst affected by coronavirus
- Provision of food and medicine within communities
- Tenant wellbeing calls
- Communication methods
- Funding
- Wider community services
- Resources
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Last updated 16 April 2020. Please note that this briefing is no longer being updated.
This briefing covers the following topics:
- Scottish Secure Tenancies
- Short Scottish Secure Tenancies
- Private Residential Tenancies (Mid-Market Rent)
- Errors in notices
- Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service
- Duration, Amendments and Reporting Requirements
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Last updated 9 April 2020
This briefing covers the following topics:
- Scottish Government advice on staying at home
- Effects of social isolation
- Tools to combat isolation
- Supporting the vulnerable
- Housing association services
- Wider business services
- SFHA actions
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Last updated 3 April 2020. Please note that this briefing is no longer being updated.
This briefing covers the following topics:
- Key points for individuals
- Key points for businesses
- Scottish Government intervention
- Support from the energy industry
- Useful links and sources of support
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Download the PDF version by clicking here.
Last updated 31 March 2020
