FirstStop Advice is an independent, free service offering advice and information for older people, their families and carers about housing and care options in later life funded by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG). It is led by the charity Elderly Accommodation Counsel (EAC) working in partnership with other national and local organisations.
This research analyses the long term impact of receiving housing options support on older people. Drawing on in depth interviews with people who had been assisted through a FirstStop local partner housing options service, it explores the impact on health, wellbeing, finances and the ability to live independently. It found that the most frequent types of intervention were supporting people with chronic health problems to remain independent and supporting people to move. Prevention of homelessness was the intervention that resulted in the most positive outcome of support, that is, everybody in this category was helped a lot and the benefits were sustained over the long term. On the other hand, none of the three people helped to de-clutter were helped a lot and any benefits of the help were not sustained.