I have Down’s syndrome and I live in supported housing. Today a parliamentary select committee has put out a report on the government’s planned changes for supported housing that could force people such as me with a learning disability out of our homes.
Last year the government said it wanted to make changes to funding for supported housing that would limit payments to the local housing allowance rate and let local councils have control over the extra money needed to give people supported housing. This would mean people such as me could lose our right to have our housing paid for and that there could be a lot less supported housing available.
Both these changes would obviously be really bad. Thankfully today’s report agrees, which is good to hear as it is what me and other people in supported housing have been saying for a long time. But I’m still very scared the changes could happen.
In March I gave evidence for this report. It was a historic event as I was the first person with Down’s syndrome ever to give evidence to a select committee. I was very proud to be taking such a big step for people with a learning disability, especially as I know these changes could mean that thousands of people like me lose their homes and independence. As a society, we’d be going backwards.
Before supported housing, people with a learning disability had to live with their families or live in institutions. Most care professionals think institutions are not the best place for people with a learning disability; in some cases people end up having to live far away from everyone they know, and sometimes too, without proper support, people can even be in danger of abuse and neglect. I don’t think that’s a life anyone would choose.
I moved into supported housing when I was 30. Before then I had 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 ladies 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, because I’m not a child. Supported housing means I can be independent but have day-to-day support from Mencap. My support worker Jeanette helps me get out and do the things I love, which include volunteering at Oxfam, my local bookshop and the Cancer Trust. I make my own choices and I get to live the life I want, something everyone has the right to do.
But this will all change if the government’s planned changes happen. A cut could mean that I couldn’t afford to pay my rent any more. I wouldn’t be able to live with Katie and Elizabeth and I might lose my day-to-day support. It makes me scared for my future because I’d have to move away from my home, my friends and my voluntary jobs and go and live with family. It could change my whole life in a way that I don’t want.
But I’m lucky. A lot of people with a learning disability don’t have family who can support them, so they could be forced to live in an institution, where the support and accommodation might not be right for them. They could away from everything they know and they would lose all their independence. This would be a huge step back for everyone with a learning disability.
I make my own choices and I get to live the life I want, something everyone has the right to do
It is a scary thought and I think it’s clear the government isn’t thinking about all the people who use supported housing. So I’m glad that the select committee report has said that these changes could lead to a really bad situation. This is also what a lot of supported housing providers and Mencap have said and it’s what I think as well. But I don’t know if the government will listen to this new report.
I think things would be very different if people such as me had more of a voice, more power. I don’t think changes like this would be happening. That’s why it’s important that the government listens to us.
I would say to the government: “Stop and think about what you are doing!” It’s good to save money; I am not against changes. But things have to be fair for everyone, and until you can guarantee that changes won’t take away people’s homes, independence and happiness, then these are changes that the government can’t afford to make.
The government must not force me and other disabled people out of our homes | Tessa Bolt
