Service performance indicators (SPIs)


  • SPI 1: Service availability (accommodation based services)
  • SPI 2 Utilisation levels (accommodation based services)
  • SPI 2 Utilisation levels (support services)
  • SPI 3: Staffing levels
  • SPI 4: Throughput


SPI 1: Service availability (accommodation based services)

This indicator calculates the number of units that are available (in weeks or days) as a percentage of the total units contracted (in weeks or days). An accommodation based unit is available where it is either occupied by a service user or is vacant and available for letting.

Accommodation that is vacant and available for letting should include units that:

  • are newly acquired
  • vacated by a previous tenant (who is no longer being charged rent)
  • handed over by a contractor, development or maintenance section on completion of works
  • requiring minor repair work, repairs or maintenance to be undertaken between lets.

Accommodation that is vacant and not available for letting should include units that:

  • require improvement, conversion or other works before a new service user can move in
  • are already undergoing improvement, conversion or other works, which must be completed before a service user can move in
  • are awaiting sale (but were not originally developed for sale)
  • are decants, being held vacant to accommodate services users from other services which are due for improvement, repair or other works (once occupied by a service user from another property, it is not vacant)

Households that occupy more than one unit

Where a single household occupies more than one unit (either more than one bedspace or more than one flat), this has the effect of reducing the number of units that are available.

For instance where a 10 unit accommodation based service allocates eight units to single people and two units to a family then the availability of the service would be nine units (as nine households would occupy the service).

There is no SPI 1 for support only services.

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SPI 2 Utilisation levels (accommodation based services)

Service utilisation for accommodation based services is defined as occupancy. Occupancy is defined as the number of weeks or days for which a service user is liable for rent.

This indicator calculates the number of unit weeks or days that a service is occupied as a proportion of the total number of unit weeks or days for which it is available.

Where there is a weekly tenancy then the calculation should be made in weeks. Where the accommodation is charged on a daily basis then the calculation should be in days.

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SPI 2 Utilisation levels (support services)

This indicator calculates the number of days that support is utilised by service users (under a support plan) as percentage of the number of days support is contracted. The calculation of the total number of days that support is contracted involves multiplying the number of contracted places by the number of days in the reporting period.

The number of days that support is utilised is defined by the duration of the support plan for each service user (in days). This is calculated from when the support plan commenced (i.e. the date when the service user started to receive a support service) to when the support plan ceased (the date of case closure).

In some circumstances the support service may commence prior to a support plan being formally agreed; it should be assumed that once a support service is provided then a support plan is in place.

All the days within the support plan period should be counted even though the service user may not receive support every day. This includes weekends and bank holidays, even if the service is not intended to cover these days.

There may be some circumstances where a case is not closed, even though a service user is no longer in receipt of support (for instance where there are concerns about making a formal case closure).

These cases are often dormant for a number of weeks prior to case closure. In these circumstances the support plan should be treated as closed from the point where no there is no face to face contact with the client for a period of a month (28 days).

Should the support service subsequently resume then the service user can be included within the calculation (from the date when the support service re-engages with face to face contact), provided that the individual is subject to a support plan.

The service should not be treated as resuming where an individual returns to the service to receive occasional advice.

The contracted number of places is the number of service users to whom a support service is normally provided at any one time. This number is shown on the contract schedule. The contracted number of places can only be altered by the Administering Authority varying the contract.

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SPI 3: Staffing levels

This indicator measures the number of support hours actually worked at the service as a percentage of the support hours that staff are required to provide.

The staff team is defined as those staff who spend some or all of their time on the support service. The staff team’s hours are adjusted (for average holidays, other leave, planned locum cover and actual bank holidays) and are then apportioned to support activities at the service. The result of this calculation is known as the ‘adjusted establishment support hours’, which provides a true reflection of the number support hours the staff team is required to provide at the service.

This performance indicator does not measure the actual FTE staffing input against the FTE staff shown in the contract schedules. Administering Authorities may wish to adjust contract schedules where they do not accurately reflect the staff team input to the service. This can be done at service review stage or by varying the contract.

Only those staff who provide an input to the support service should be included in the calculation. Where staff provide an input to more than one service then their time must be apportioned to each service. The calculation for the indicator should include the following paid staff:

  • front line staff who are apportioned to the service and who provide housing related support;
  • managers who are apportioned to the service and whose time is spent managing front line staff that provide housing related support.

Only those mangers who are responsible for line managing front line staff are to be included. Senior managers who do not directly line managers of front line should not be included, nor should central office staff or staff covered by overheads.

It is essential to calculate the support hours that are available to the service and to exclude time spent on other activities such as housing management and care.

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SPI 4: Throughput

The indicator calculates the number of service users who have received the support service as a percentage of the number of units or support placements contracted. The number of units apply to accommodation based services and the number of placements to support services.

For supported and sheltered housing services the number of service users who depart is defined by those whose tenancies have ended and who have :

  • moved out of the accommodation
  • been evicted/abandoned the accommodation; and,
  • have died (including suicides).

For support-only services the number of service users who cease to use the service is defined by:

  • case closure
  • those who have died (including suicides),and,
  • those who no longer use the service although the case may not been formerly closed (no face to face contact with the service user for one month).

Throughputs will need to be assessed within the context of the aims and objectives of the service and the intended duration of support.

This information has been abridged from ’Detailed Definitions of the Performance Indictors for Supporting People 2004-2005’ published by the DCLG and available in full on www.spkweb.org.uk.

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