John Verge, Chief Executive at Golden Lane Housing, and Chair, Learning Disability and Autism Housing Network discusses the urgent need for supported housing for people with learning disabilities and autistic people.
Good quality supported housing can be transformational for people with learning disabilities and autistic people and help people live fulfilling, independent lives in their communities. It helps many people who have been living with parents support the independence they want. It can be far more cost effective and provide a far better quality of life than living in inappropriate, expensive institutions. There are some great housing providers across the country working with their local authority and health commissioners providing and developing innovative, adapted supported housing.
As Chief Executive of Golden Lane Housing, a national specialist housing association, I have seen the real difference it makes. Hannah, a Golden Lane Housing tenant explains ‘I love this house because it’s 10 minutes from Mum. I didn’t used to see my family very much. I can go down town independently and I do loads of walking. Without this place I wouldn’t do nothing because I had to stay in my flat.’
But there continue to be barriers and challenges to provide more housing. The Learning Disability and Autism Housing Network is a coalition of 25 housing associations working to provide quality housing and influence positive change. Last year we published our own report “Supported housing for people with learning disabilities and autistic people in England”. The research commissioned from Housing LIN provides up to date information and data on the size, scope, and future need of the provision, and sets out clear recommendations to government, local authorities, and housing providers to address the lack of supply and ensure quality.
The research established that around 37,500 people are living in supported housing with commissioned care and support. There are an equivalent number of people with commissioned care and support living in mainstream housing, predominately general needs social housing. The majority of tenants living in supported housing are housing association tenants and have significant support needs, with over 43% of people receive over 100 hours a week of care and support.
We estimate that over 1,800 additional homes are needed each year over the next 15 year – that’s 27,000 individuals – which will require over £340 million per year of private and public funding. The reality is that demand is outstripping demand from individuals, their families and commissioners and if we going to respond to this need with quality housing and viable funding things need to significantly change. Of the 1,100 new homes created each year over the preceding 5 years only 13% of the funding was provided by public grant subsidy. Our call to government is to support new provision by increasing the level of capital funding and set and publish annual targets.
We welcome the Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Act that will introduce over the next year new national support and housing standards, and require local authorities to publish supported housing strategies. Importantly, any local housing strategies will only deliver new solutions if local and health authorities work together with housing and support providers.
Our call to housing providers is to play an increased critical role working with adult social care and health authorities to support new provision. Over recent years many longstanding larger housing associations have stopped developing and providing supported housing often citing other priorities, increased complexity, and uncertainty over funding. We hope that the evidence for demand and better strategic planning with encourage providers to respond to the need.
It is clear that good quality supported housing has a vital role to play to change people’s lives and provide a lifetime of independence. Now is the time for all key parties to come together to respond to the changes needed to support new provision, ensure high standards across the whole sector and help transform lives.
@GoldenLaneHouse
glh.org.uk/about/the-learning-disability-and-autism-housing-network/
