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About us

Anchor Staying Put was established over twenty years ago in Brighton, followed by an agency in Hove. Following the towns merging into one city the agency also merged into one agency covering the city.  

The agency’s business partners are Supporting People Commissioners, Brighton City Council and Brighton Occupational therapy Department Department.

Staying Put Core Service

This service aims to help older and vulnerable people with any housing adaptations or repairs that they may need doing in their home, in order that they can remain living there safely and comfortably for as long as they wish to do so. The Caseworkers visit customers in their homes to help them identify the problems and possible solutions. They will also help the householder identify appropriate funding route to make the necessary works possible.

A large part of the core services is helping people through the Disabled Facilities Grants process to provide disabled adaptations. We also help people through the Housing Renewal Assistance application process for essential housing repairs. Our Technical Support team are responsible for putting together plans and specifications for the work, and managing the tender process in getting prices from reputable contractors for the works.

Anchor Handy Person Scheme

The Anchor Handy Person Scheme based in Brighton & Hove is a non-for-profit service helping the elderly and disabled with small repairs and odd jobs around the home.

It is often difficult for older or disabled people to find someone to call out for smaller jobs and can also end up expensive.   The handy person small repairs service aims to help carry out small routine jobs that people are no longer able to carry out.

Depending on circumstances, there is either a £10 or £20 charge for up to two hours work, plus the cost of any materials required for completing the work.

The following are examples of the type of work that can be carried out in the two-hour period:

• Fitting grab/hand rails.
• Hanging curtains/pictures/mirrors and fitting blinds.
• Assembling flat packs.
• Fitting locks, bolts and door chains.
• Joinery work; such as fitting shelves, shaving doors, and fence/gate repairs.
• Basic electrical work; such as wiring plugs, changing light bulbs and installing door bells.
• Basic plumbing jobs; such as changing tap washers, toilet ball valves and blocked toilets.

The small repairs service cannot undertake large-scale work that is above first floor level or longer than two hours. It does not include gardening, guttering, cleaning or serious electrical or plumbing work, but we can refer the customers to people that will be able to help.

If there is a job where the customer is uncertain on the full extent of the work that may be involved, the handyman can visit on a 'look' appointment free of charge to assess the job and if we are unable to do the work we can offer advice on which service the customer may need.

For more information and contact details please view the Small Repairs PDF leaflet by clicking here.

Keep the Home Fires Burning

This is a referral scheme which has been running for the past three years in Brighton and Hove helping the most vulnerable people in the community access heating and insulation grants for their homes. We work with a range of frontline health teams who regularly carry out home visits to their patients. They refer anyone through to us whom they feel has insufficient heat/heating problems in their homes whilst they were visiting.

Our Caseworker service will then carry out a home visit in order to establish what the problems are (heating/insulation/damp, etc). The Caseworker will also then refer the householder on to the relevant grant scheme to help fund the necessary measures.

The Caseworker will continue to work with the householder and any grant funding bodies and contractors involved until the required measures have been installed and ensure that, where heating works are involved, the householder is able to use all controls independently and confidently.

Home Front Scheme

We work in partnership with Brighton and Hove City Council and East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service. We provide help and advice on Home & Personal Safety, Home Security. This service is for people aged 50+ living in the City of Brighton & Hove.   We can also give help and advice on Health & Wellbeing which may include finding social, lleisure or community activities and services in the local area.   We can visit you at home to discuss your needs and help you access the information and services that you may require.  This may include fire safety (having free smoke alarms installed), security advice (bogus callers), meals on wheels, lunch clubs. We can also advise on fuel efficiency and help with small repairs to make your home safer.