Housing and independent living research

Imogen BloodRNIB Transitions Conference

1st July 2015

Scoping phase

• Two qualitative studies asking 112 younger adults with sight loss about housing experiences

• A review of the policy and funding climate and its impact on the housing experiences and opportunities of this group;

• A review of housing advice services/ resources that are accessible and relevant to them.

What are the housing needs of YASL?

• Location: living somewhere you can be independent and feel reasonably safe

• Proximity to support networks: ‘you can’t just wave at the neighbours’

• Property features: Space, Storage, Guide dog? Lighting? Stairs? Making minor adaptations

• Security of tenure: moving is such an upheaval

‘When I have my own place I will have lots of independence’

• Access to suitable housing? More young people staying with parents/ house sharing in the private rented sector – impact for YASL?

• Affordability? Half YASL depend on benefits• Access to support? “The key need is for short

term, flexible and intensive support as soon as you move”

VI Professional

The overall picture from the interviews

• Some very bad housing experiences….. but: • Diversity of individual pathways to housing• Resilience and determination of many

There really are no easy answers but we need to find a way of handing some control

back to people over their lives

Housing advice • Gap in advice for YASL moving to independent

living (from family home or FE/ HE)• Some had received good benefits advice but

knowledge of housing options & rights limited• Many depend on family/ friends for advice• Education/ social services: variable information

about the ‘cliff edge’: many stay/ return home• Hard to find/ apply online resources

Next steps for the project

• Housing Brokerage pilot: personalised support to find cross-tenure housing solutions

• Housing advice resources: working with YASL and professionals from the advice sector to amend existing/ develop some new resources

• Working with the VICTAR longitudinal study: better understanding of how housing/ education/ employment pathways interact

Resources and contact4 scoping reports and synthesis of findings at: http://www.pocklington-trust.org.uk/researchandknowledge/publications/RF47housing-and-independent-living.htm Get in touch if you want to discuss next steps: imogen@imogenblood.co.uk (Advice)ian.copeman@housingandsupport.co.uk (Brokerage)