Demand For Specialised Supported Housing Forecast To Increase By 36%

Specialised supported housing for people with learning disabilities is predicted to increase by 36% as the population grows and more people are moved out of hospital settings, a Mencap report has found. Demand for specialised supported housing is forecast to increase from 38,500 units in 2015 to 59,800 in 2030, partly because of a government target to move people with learning disabilities from hospital into the community. Mencap is calling for the government to guarantee that the move from housing benefit to Universal Credit will continue to fully meet the housing costs of specialised supported housing. Read more on Inside Housing.

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Supported Housing: Sector Warns Of Uncertain Future

Housing bodies and charities have warned of an uncertain future for supported housing, following the government’s announcement of a funding plan. David Orr, chief executive of the NHF, led the warnings – saying he is “not confident” in the new system which will see funds passed to councils. Mencap and St Mungo’s also reacted cautiously to the plans. The sector had been campaigning to change the government’s policy to restrict housing benefit in supported housing to the Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates available to private tenants. Damian Green, the work and pensions secretary, announced the government will press ahead with applying the rates, however it will distribute a ‘top-up’ fund to local authorities.  Read more on Inside Housing.

Mencap Study Finds Shortage of Homes Is Increasing

The housing shortage for adults with learning difficulties has worsened in the last year according to research from a leading disabilities charity.  Mencap has warned increasing financial constraints have meant councils are less able to support people with a learning disability, with fewer and fewer being helped to live independently.  A freedom of information request and a survey of nearly 500 parent carers of people with a learning disability found that eight out of 10 councils recognise that there is a housing shortage for adults with a learning disability in their areas, with more than two thirds saying this has worsened in the last 12 months.  Download the report - Housing for people with a learning disability – from the Mencap website.

Pressures on Housing

Many more adults with a learning disability may continue living with their parents into their adult lives, rather than being supported to live independently, according to new research published by Mencap. The interim findings from a report into the provision of housing for people with a learning disability found that while demand for services is rising, local authorities are increasingly struggling to meet this need. The study shows that 89% of local authorities agree there has been an increase in the number of people with a learning disability requiring housing support in the last three years. The research comes as the government’s flagship Welfare Reform Bill, which outlines changes to housing benefit and social housing, makes its way through the House of Lords. All of the local authorities surveyed for the research agree that the biggest challenge at the moment is financial, leading to greater pressures on their housing services. Download a copy of the report from the Mencap website.