Best practice and insights report on improving housing choice for people with a learning disability

In this context mainstream housing means:

• renting from a social housing landlord (typically a housing association or a council)
• renting from a private sector landlord
• being a home owner
• living in housing that has been arranged by family member or other informal supporters.

These mainstream housing options are not necessarily exhaustive, but the report covers different housing arrangements for a person with a learning disability as distinct from supported accommodation such as supported living, supported housing, Shared Lives or a care home. This report contains the following:

• contextual information about the types of housing and accommodation that people with a learning disability live in, including those who are eligible for adult social care from a council and those who are not
• evidence that demonstrates the range of mainstream housing that people with a learning disability are living in, in the form of 7 short case studies, and the role of councils and others in enabling this to happen
• the barriers to people with a learning disability accessing and living in mainstream housing
• the practical actions that councils are taking and can take to address these barriers, to help more people to live in mainstream housing
• based on this evidence, the case for change setting out the benefits for people with a learning disability and for councils of more people living in mainstream housing
• a summary of resources that can assist staff who work for councils and their partners to help people with a learning disability to live in mainstream housing.

This report has involved discussions with people with a learning disability and their supporters and 15 councils. As part of producing this report, the Housing LIN engaged with people with a learning disability and their family members with the support of Learning Disability England to understand what people are seeking from an ‘ordinary’ home.

This report is intended to be used by staff who work for councils in relation to adult social care and housing and their partners and stakeholders.

Partners in Care and Health work with councils to help them improve the services they provide to people with a learning disability, including those who may be eligible for long-term support from adult social care.

Through our recent work with councils, we have identified that the numbers of people with a learning disability living in the community in private rented and social housing, or who own their own homes and do not live in supported living schemes, is consistently low, despite many people having limited personalised care needs. We have also seen examples of people who are being accommodated in supported living provision despite having low support needs because care teams have found it difficult to find other types of housing.
We have heard from people with a learning disability, families and social work practitioners that arrangements to ensure that people with a learning disability are appropriately assisted to find and maintain their own private rented or social housing tenancies are patchy. We have also heard from social work practitioners and commissioners that it can be hard to support individuals to buy their own home, even when they have access to their own funds to do this, because they are not always clear about what they need to do to make this happen.

Population and accommodation status

The population of people with a learning disability aged 18 – 65 years in England is estimated to be approximately 1.2 million people. This includes people who are eligible for adult social care from a council and people who are not. Of these 1.2 million people, there are approximately 150,000 people with a learning disability aged 18+ in England (in 2021/22) who are eligible to receive care and/or support from a council.

There is insufficient robust evidence about what types of housing and accommodation the 1.2 million people with a learning disability are living in. However, amongst the 150,000 people with a learning disability who are eligible to receive care and/or support from a council, the table below shows the type of housing and accommodation those people are living in.

Source: SALT (2020/21) and PANSI (2020)

This shows that amongst people with a learning disability who are eligible to receive care and/or support from a council, approximately 23 per cent live in supported housing or supported living, 23 per cent live in mainstream housing, 14 per cent live in a care home and 36 per cent live with their family or other informal supporters. This suggest that there is likely to be scope for more people with a learning disability to live in mainstream housing.

Research evidence

Recent research by the County Councils Network in relation to adult social care for working age and lifelong disabled adults has shown:

• inappropriate and insufficient housing was highlighted repeatedly through this report as a key issue preventing optimal outcomes being achieved for working age and lifelong disabled adults. In particular, the lack of suitable local authority housing was cited as leading to a greater use of supported living, reducing independence and driving up cost
• new housing solutions are required for disabled adults, to help move away from both a reliance on 24-hour residential and nursing placements, and also away from supported living being used due to a lack of alternative housing options
• additional suitable housing provision is required to support individuals with moderate levels of need who reportedly rely more heavily on sometimes inappropriate supported living accommodation, due to a lack of suitable local authority housing.

The types of mainstream housing options potentially available to people with a learning disability are summarised below.
There are a range of potential mainstream housing options that are relevant to meeting the housing needs of people with a learning disability including:

• renting from a social housing landlord:
  • renting general needs social housing from a registered provider of social housing (sometimes referred to as a housing association)
  • renting general needs social housing from a council (sometimes referred to as council housing)
  • renting general needs housing from a charitable or other type of not-for-profit housing provider
• renting from a private sector landlord (sometimes referred to as the private rented sector or PRS)
• home ownership, including home ownership through the Home Ownership for people with Long term Disabilities programme and other types of home ownership
• family arranged housing options: that is where a person’s family or other supporters have provided housing directly for their family member with a learning disability.

Case studies from people with lived experience

A series of brief case studies (from people with lived experience and from a range of organisations) demonstrate that people with a learning disability can access and live successfully in these mainstream housing options.

A key message from the majority of councils we engaged with to produce this report is that the greatest barriers to people with a learning disability having increased access to mainstream housing are:

• the widely acknowledged shortage of affordable housing. This is evidenced, for example, by the number of households in temporary accommodation and on council housing waiting lists
• the supply and availability of general needs social housing is not keeping pace with the demand for affordable housing. This means that there are increasing numbers of people (with and without care and support needs) seeking housing from the stock of available affordable housing. This is the case for affordable housing for single people (typically seeking one bed self-contained housing) which is likely to include people with a learning disability, as well as affordable family housing. For example, in Manchesteri the waiting list of people seeking affordable social housing is c.11,000 and rising. By comparison, the annual number of lettings of affordable social housing is c.2,000 per annum.

A range of other barriers to people accessing mainstream housing are summarised below. These are based on: engagement with people with a learning disability for this report; (and another recent research with people with a learning disability by the University of York and the University of Bristol); evidence from the case studies; and from discussions with a wide range of councils about increasing access to mainstream housing options for people with a learning disability in England:

• inaccessible, difficult to understand and navigate systems: for access to general needs social housing; for rent provided by housing associations and councils, for example through choice based letting systems. (Choice-based lettings schemes basically gives people the chance to choose which council house or housing association accommodation they want.) This works on a bidding principle as and when properties become available); “I used the choice based lettings system to try and find my sister a home, it is exhausting, I had to go on every day and constantly check for updates, I just don’t have enough time and energy to do this alongside looking after her and working.”
• where people are offered a general needs social housing property through choice based lettings, some people feel under pressure to take properties that are not suitable to their needs for fear of not being offered anything else. “My brother was offered a social rented property but we had to make a decision very quickly and we both needed longer to consider if it was the right choice, but by this time it had already been allocated to someone else.”
• the affordability of housing in the private rented sector can be a barrier particularly where people are restricted to local housing allowance rates to meet their rent costs
• there can be limited awareness amongst private landlords, letting and estate agents that people with a learning disability may want to access housing in the private rented sector and are often seeking to rent for the long term, so can often be longer term, easy to manage tenants
• some people with a learning disability may be more at risk of experiencing problems with antisocial behaviour from other tenants or others in the local neighbourhood. The location of housing to rent for people with a learning disability can be a particular consideration in terms of ensuring that a person is living in an area where they will be safe
• it can be particularly difficult to find mainstream housing options for people with a learning disability who may also have a physical disability, sensory needs or needs related to autism. “My son rents from a private landlord and because I know the landlord personally, we have been able to make adaptations to the property, but I know other people have struggled to get access to adaptations in the private rented sector.”
• there is often limited housing information and advice in relation to accessing mainstream housing options that is tailored to the needs and requirements of people with a learning disability. “People aren’t given the tools to forward plan for their future housing options. We need more support for families with this as it is a mine field.”
• there is typically limited support and assistance to families and other unpaid supporters of people with a learning disability in relation to how they can use their own resources to secure mainstream housing for their family member (where they have resources to do this)
• some landlords, both social and private landlords, do not make reasonable adjustments that would make it easier for people with a learning disability to live in mainstream housing, such as easy to read tenancy agreements and maintenance reporting arrangements. “Some housing association staff don’t know their legal responsibilities as landlords. So often no reasonable adjustments are made”
• there are differing experiences amongst councils in relation to the approach taken by social landlords in terms of whether a person with a learning disability has capacity to sign a tenancy agreement
• access to home ownership is very limited for people with a learning disability whether that is through the Home Ownership for people with Long term Disabilities (HOLD) programme, which typically requires that a person is in receipt of higher rates of Personal Independence Payments in order to be able to afford the costs, or through other types of home ownership “I would like my daughter to be able to buy her own home because it would feel more safe and secure but this seems very complicated for a person reliant on benefits with limited information and advice available.”
• in order to live in mainstream housing, many people with a learning disability, including those who are not eligible for adult social care, need a modest level of support to maintain a tenancy. In many instances the funding for this type of support is no longer available from councils due to financial constraints
• there is sometimes an assumption made by councils and by care and support providers that supported housing and supported living is the ‘default’ option for people with a learning disability that need a place to live, without consideration of a person living in mainstream housing with care and support. “I managed to secure a 24/7 care package for my son who now lives in private rented
  accommodation, I was ok, but taking this leap can be terrifying for families. It can be difficult to know if you’re making the right decision.”
• there is sometimes a lack of awareness amongst councils about how to develop a wider mix of housing options for people with a learning disability, including access to mainstream or general needs housing, as well as supported housing or supported living, in order to offer a meaningful range of housing options.

Drawing on the evidence from the case studies and discussions with councils a range of practical ‘how to’ actions to address these barriers are summarised here.

Councils have taken account of the Equality Act 2010 and the public sector equality duty in terms of how people were learning disabilities are assisted by councils in relation to access to housing, for example regarding lettings of social housing.

Councils and social landlords have adapted local choice based letting systems so that people with a learning disability are well supported to use the system to access general needs social housing. For example, North Lincolnshire Council has ensured that libraries and ‘local hubs’ are equipped to offer help to people who find choice based letting systems difficult to use. In addition, the council uses a mix of internal housing groups and its housing related support service to assist people with a learning disability to gain access to general needs social housing through choice-based lettings.

Councils and social landlords have made lettings to general needs social housing to people with a learning disability outside of choice-based lettings, in order to ensure that a person with a learning disability is able to access general needs social housing in a location where they will be safe. This is sometimes referred to as management or sensitive lettings. For example, Gateshead Council has an internal Accommodation and Support Group which has identified some people with a learning disability whose housing needs are best met through a direct management let into a social housing tenancy.

Councils are encouraging people with a learning disability to register their housing need on the local housing register. For example, Dorset Council has ‘flags’ on its housing register to indicate that the applicant is a person with a learning disability and ‘flags’ for other additional needs such as a requirement for an adapted property. This enables the council to be better informed in relation to matching suitable available properties with people's housing and related needs.

Councils are collecting detailed information about the housing needs and associated care and support needs of people with a learning disability. For example, the District and Borough Councils in Warwickshire have developed a housing needs referral form to be used alongside the main housing register application form which can be used where a person has care or support needs, including a learning disability, so that their housing and related care or support needs can be fully considered in relation to securing a suitable property. There is also the potential for councils to use this data aggregated as evidence of housing need to inform local housing strategies.

Some private landlords have recognised that people with a learning disability typically make good long-term tenants. For example, Wirral Council has used its local private sector landlord forums to engage with private landlords and explain to them the opportunity of renting their property or properties to people with a learning disability. This has increased access to good quality private sector housing for some people with a learning disability.

Councils are assisting people with a learning disability by producing accessible information and advice about different housing options including renting mainstream housing. For example, Warwickshire County Council (with its district or borough council partners) has produced an ‘easy read’ format housing options information and advice guide specifically for people with a learning disability.

Councils are engaging with local housing providers to get them to make reasonable adjustments to existing social rented housing and to new build social rented housing. For example, Birmingham City Council uses a local forum with social housing providers in the city to encourage them to make a range of reasonable adjustments so that more people with a learning disability can access general needs social housing, such as installing appropriate soundproofing where this is required by some people with a learning disability.

Some landlords have made reasonable adjustments in relation to letting their properties to people with a learning disability. For example, Ongo housing association in North Lincolnshire has produced easy to read versions of tenancy agreements and other documentation provided to their tenants, for example in relation to reporting repairs.

Councils are assisting families and carers of people with a learning disability by producing information and advice about different housing options including renting mainstream housing. For example, Wigan Council has produced a housing options information and advice guide specifically targeted at families and carers of people with a learning disability.

Councils are also work with families and people with a learning disability to co-produce how housing and support can best be provided. This guide provides more information on this with ADASS co-producing The place we call home.

Some councils have continued to fund low level types of support, such as housing related support, which provides people with a learning disability with flexible support and assistance in order to be able to manage a tenancy successfully. For example, Telford and Wrekin Council commissions a housing association to provide practical housing support as well as support to enable people to secure the most appropriate housing in the social housing sector or private rented sector that is best suited to their circumstances.

In relation to people with a learning disability who are eligible for adult social care, councils are required to provide flexibility in the way that people can meet the eligible care and support needs, for example in a way the best suits people who want to live in their own tenancy in mainstream housing. For example, Cambridgeshire County Council makes available what are referred to as Individual Service Funds where the person directs how they wish to be supported in a highly personalised way whilst the administration and funding is managed by a third party organisation, such as a support provider.

Some councils have developed local housing plans and strategies in relation to people with a learning disability that promote access to mainstream housing as an option alongside, for example, the use of supported housing and supported living.

For example, Cornwall Council has published a supported and specialist housing plan that aims to assist people with learning disability get access to a housing option that best meets their needs which includes both supported accommodation options and access to mainstream housing, including making adaptations where necessary.

Councils are making use of digital technology to support people with a learning disability to live in mainstream housing. For example, Surrey County Council has worked with support providers and a technology company, Just Checking, to enable people with a learning disability to move from supported housing into mainstream housing where they receive paid for support complemented by the extensive use of technology to assist people to live independently in their own homes.

In summary actions that councils can take to enable more people with a learning disability to access mainstream housing include:

Based on engagement with people with a learning disability and their families and supporters evidence from the case studies and from discussions with councils, the case for change in terms of more people with a learning disability having access to mainstream housing is summarised in terms of the:

• what people with a learning disability say they want in relation to mainstream housing
• the benefits to people with a learning disability
• the benefits to councils.

What people with a learning disability say they want in relation to mainstream housing

As part of producing this report, the Housing LIN engaged with people with a learning disability and their family members with the support of Learning Disability England to understand what people are seeking from an ‘ordinary’ home. The Housing for People with Learning Disabilities: Renting Your Own Place research by University of Bristol and University of York in relation to people with a learning disability renting their homes in the UK, took place from 2021 to 2023. It aimed to understand the ways that people with a learning disability who receive no or small amounts of statutory care and support can be better supported to access and enjoy living in their own tenancies in the community, when this is their choice. The key findings are summarised below.

• people are seeking better choices about where they live and call home. This needs to be met by an increase in good quality social housing and by better quality and more secure private renting options
• the choice based letting system needs to be made much more accessible. Having a trusted and well-informed individual that supports someone through a move and maintaining their tenancy is essential
• access to social housing may be improved through the use of direct lettings by social landlords to people with a learning disability outside of choice-based lettings
• better quality assurance systems are needed in the private rented sector to support private landlords and to give confidence to people with a learning disability, family carers and the local council that this is a suitable tenure to meet their needs
• people need better and clearer information and advice about their housing options. Additional funding is needed for third sector organisations to help with this.
• reasonable adjustments and access to much more accessible documents and information need to be the norm across the social housing and private rented sector
• key organisations and councils need to advocate for people with a learning disability as people entitled to hold tenancies and as potential ‘excellent tenants’
• people are seeking financial support with moving into ‘ordinary’ housing, such as with the cost of moving, furnishing a property and with household essentials. These are challenging to afford for people with limited disposable income.

Benefits for people with a learning disability

• there are a range for benefits experienced by people with a learning disability from living in mainstream housing:
• it provides access to a wider mix of housing options, rather than a ‘menu’ of housing that is limited to different types of supported accommodation.
• a person having their own home has benefits in terms of being able to arrange their home to suit specific needs; for example, in relation to managing sensory related needs.
• owning a home has the benefit of owning an asset which can help people become more resilient financially.
• it provides a greater degree of privacy. “Having a flat on my own means I can choose when I have staff and other people visit me.”
• for some people it has increased their social opportunities. “Living in my own home means I am more independent because I have my own place. I make my own decisions about what I do. I go out with my friends more often now I live in my own flat.”
• for some people it has improved their personal finances. Living in general needs social housing in particular is usually more affordable than living in supported housing. “The cost of living for me in my flat is much lower than when I lived in a house with other people.”
• by living in affordable mainstream housing, such as renting general needs housing from a social landlord, it has improved some people’s ability to undertake paid work (as the rents and service charges in mainstream housing are usually considerably lower than in supported housing). Jobs don’t always cover the cost of supported housing. “Since I moved to my own flat, I have been able to get a job and have more money to spend.”
• recent research (above) has shown that a key benefit for many people with a learning disability of living in mainstream housing is having a choice of where to live and who to live with, which may be absent in some types of supported housing or supported living. “Having my own flat is better for me; when I lived with other people and staff in a shared house there were lots of personality clashes.”
• for some people living in general needs social housing may offer greater security of tenure, for example through having an assured tenancy (compared to the more typical use of assured shorthold tenancy agreements in supported housing and in the private rented sector). The Renters’ Rights Bill 2024-25 is likely to increase security of tenure for people renting in the private rented sector
• being able to live in mainstream housing offers some people the opportunity for increased proximity to family, friends and informal support networks. “Living in my own place means that I now live much closer to family.”

Benefits for councils

There are a range for benefits for councils from people with a learning disability living in mainstream housing:

• it normalises where people with a learning disability live; with mainstream housing being the default option to be considered, with Shared Lives, supported housing and other more expensive options only being considered if living in mainstream housing is not a person’s choice or will not meet their needs
• it enables councils to target the use of supported housing and supported living for those people who need it most or will benefit from it the most, including people who are currently living in care homes or hospital settings
• it reduces reliance in the longer term on higher cost supported housing and supported living services as more people with a learning disability live in mainstream housing instead
• it enables councils to meet their full obligations under the Care Act 2014 to provide a genuine range of housing and care choices to people who are eligible for care and support
• it provides an opportunity for more extensive and creative use of different types of assistive and care technology alongside paid staff to support more people with a learning disability to live independently in mainstream housing
• people living in mainstream housing (or Shared Lives) can avoid some of the compatibility issues that can arise in shared supported housing.
• in some circumstances it maybe be more feasible to adapt mainstream housing to make it better suited to age related needs than is possible in some supported housing.

• Nuneaton and Bedworth District Council housing application referral form
• Warwickshire County Council and the District/Borough Councils in Warwickshire housing options easy read advice guide
• Wigan Council guide to housing options for people with learning disabilities for family carers
• Advice about the Home Ownership programme for people with Long term Disabilities
• The Housing for People with Learning Disabilities: Renting Your Own Place research by University of Bristol and University of York in relation to people with a learning disability renting their homes in the UK, 2021 to 2023
• The Home Ownership for people with Long term Disabilities (HOLD) programme
• Information about housing adaptation grants and assistance including Disabled Facilities Grants (an example of a council housing assistance policy)
• Example of an easy read tenancy agreement (Ongo Housing)
• PCH report on Shared Lives
• Developing a 'housing with support' pipeline for people with a learning disability and autistic people