Tessa Bolt
We've recently launched a new report about Specialised Supported Housing which highlights the positive impact living independently has on the wellbeing of people with a
learning disability
A learning disability is to do with the way someone's brain works. It makes it harder for someone to learn, understand or do things.
.
Hear from Tessa, who lives in specialised supported housing and spoke in
Parliament
Parliament is a group of people who make laws and check what
the government
The Government are the people who run the country. The Government decide how much
tax
Tax is the money that pays for things like schools, hospitals and the police. There are different types of taxes like
income tax
Income tax is the money that is taken out of the money you earn every month. It helps to pay for things we all need like hospitals and schools.
,
VAT
VAT is also called Value Added Tax. VAT is the extra money you pay when you buy things. The money goes to the government to pay for things like schools and hospitals.
and
council tax
Council
A council is also called a
local authority
A local authority is also called a council. They are a group of people who make decisions about some of the things in the area where you live like schools,
social care
Social care means the services that give care and support to people who need it.
(support for people), parks and dustbin collection.
. They are a group of people who make decisions about some of the things in the area where you live. These include: schools, social care (support for people), parks and dustbin collection.
Tax is the money that people pay to the
council
A council is also called a
local authority
A local authority is also called a council. They are a group of people who make decisions about some of the things in the area where you live like schools,
social care
Social care means the services that give care and support to people who need it.
(support for people), parks and dustbin collection.
. They are a group of people who make decisions about some of the things in the area where you live. These include: schools, social care (support for people), parks and dustbin collection.
. It helps to pay for things like social care (support for people), parks and dustbin collection.
.
people should pay and how things like the National Health
Service
A service gives people what they need, like healthcare services that help people when they are ill, and support services that give people support.
(
NHS
The NHS is the National Health Service. The NHS gives free healthcare to everyone in the UK and includes things like your GP (doctors) surgery and hospitals.
) should work.
is doing.
last year against
cuts
Cuts are when there is less money to pay for things like clubs and support.
to Housing Benefit for people with a learning disability living in supported housing:
I have Down’s Syndrome and live in supported housing.
Before supported housing, people with a learning disability had to live with their families or live in institutions. Most care professionals think that institutions are not the best place for people with a learning disability; they can be really bad for some people, who have to be far away from everyone they know and sometimes without proper support, people can even be in danger of abuse
Abuse is when someone bullies you and does or says something to you that makes you feel hurt, upset or scared. and neglect
Neglect is when you are not being cared for or supported. .
I don’t think that’s a life anyone would choose.
I moved into supported housing when I was 30. Before then I lived with my parents. I love them but I wanted to be independent. Nobody wants to still be living with their parents at 30!
After a lot of talking, my parents agreed and I now live in a house run by Golden Lane Housing, with Elizabeth and Katie, two other girls who have a learning disability. I love living with them, we’re like family.
I couldn’t live on my own without support, but I don’t want full time care.
Supported housing means I can be independent but have day to day support from Mencap. My support worker
Support workers
Support workers are people who are paid to give care and support to people who need it. are people who are paid to give care and support to people who need it. Jeanette helps me get out and do the things I love, like volunteering at Oxfam, my local book shop and The Cancer Trust.
I make my own choices and I get to live the life I want, something everyone has the right to.
I was really worried when the Government said that they would cut Housing Benefit for supported housing back in 2015, and very relieved when they changed their mind. It made me scared me for my future, because I would have had to move away from my home, my friends and my job and go and live with my family.
I’m lucky though, a lot of people with a learning disability don’t have family who can support them, they could have to go live in institutions, where the support and accommodation might not be right for them. They would lose all their independence
Independence means doing things on your own. Making your own choices. .
It would be a huge step back for everyone with a learning disability. That's why I want the Government to listen to Mencap and make sure that homes like mine are available to more people with a learning disability.
Speaking about our new report, Beatrice Barleon, Policy
Manager
A manager is a boss at work. They tell you what you need to do and give you support if you need it.
at Mencap said:
The Specialised Supported Housing sector has a crucial role to play in the Government’s ‘Transforming care’ programme, giving people with a learning disability the opportunity to live in their community
A community is the people and places in an area. and with choice over where they call home. Until now we only had a limited understanding of the size of the sector, and this research
Research is a way of finding out information which could come from books, or asking people what they think. shows that it is far larger than previously assumed, and at the same time cost-effective.
The Government must now ensure that Specialised Supported Housing is seen for what it is – a vital and cost-effective route to accessing a home in the community.
Read the report
Our latest report presents new research by Mencap, in partnership with Housing LIN (Learning and Improvement Network), has revealed that the Specialised Supported Housing (SHH) sector is more than double the size of previous estimates and that demand for SHH is rising.
Read the full PDF report, including methodology, key findings and case studies, here.