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Better housing

Valuing People Team - August 2008
gatewaytocare@kirklees.gov.uk

• The different housing options available to you
• The different support options available to you
• Useful information and contact details

Lots of people with learning disabilities want to live with relatives or in residential care. But many people now would like to know how they could live more independently in the community, and what support they might have to help them.

You might decide you want to live independently in your own home, or you may want to live with friends, a partner or close to your family. There are a number of housing options available to you, to meet you needs.

• Renting a council house
  If you want to apply for council housing you will need to fill in a housing registration form and send it to Housing Options at Kirklees Council. They will look at your housing needs and tell you if they can find you somewhere to live. Usually the housing offered is from local housing providers such as Kirklees Neighbourhood Housing or local housing associations.
• Renting from a housing association
  You can apply and contact local housing associations in Kirklees to see if they might be able to offer you any rented housing.
• Renting from a private landlord
  If you want to rent a home from a private landlord you can look in the property pages in your local newspapers or go to a letting or estate agent. Kirklees Council also has a list of good standard landlords.
  • Kirklees Landlord and Property Accreditation Scheme
• Owning your own home
  • Buying a house outright by borrowing money from a bank or building society through a mortgage.
  • Homebuy or Joint Ownership Scheme where one or more people buy a share of a property outright and rent the remainder share from a housing association.
    • More information about Homebuy properties in West Yorkshire are advertised through an agency called My 4 Walls (external site).
  • Ownership through a trust is when a group of people called trustees manage a property that has been set aside for you to live in.

There are a range of different types of support available in Kirklees to help meet your needs or to help you live independently in your home.

• Residential care
  Residential care homes can be large or small homes and are usually for people with high levels of need. You are supported by staff 24 hours a day. More and more people are choosing other options than residential care, but it is still appropriate for many people particularly those who are most vulnerable.
• Adult placement
  This is when you live with a trained carer as part of their family. It is suitable for people who want to live a homely, family life. But you need to be referred, usually through Adult Services.
• Independent living
  People with learning disabilities who live in housing and rented properties, either by themselves or with someone else, receive daily or weekly support with paying bills, shopping, and social support to help them to live independently.
• Supported living
  This is when you share a flat, house or sheltered housing with a small group of people with learning disabilities and you are supported by staff in your home. The level of support you get will depend on your level of needs - but support is available all of the time.
• Telecare and assistive technology
  This is when a telephone and gadgets are fitted in your home to help you be more independent. This technology can help in your daily living and with keeping you safe.

Many of these types of support are funded through Kirklees Council or through the Supporting People Programme. To find out more you can look at our Better housing booklet or contact Gateway to care:
Tel: 01484 223000 Email: gatewaytocare@kirklees.gov.uk

• Adult Placement Scheme
• Buying a home on a low income
• Council housing: Looking for a council home
  If you want to get a council house or be put on the housing register.
• Housing associations in Kirklees
• Housing Options (external site)
  Providing excellent information and resources about housing, support and money options.
• Kirklees Landlord and Property Accreditation Scheme
  Further advice about reliable landlords.
• My 4 Walls (external site)
• Kirklees Accommodation Strategy Project (Learning Disabilities)
  (For further information about the Better Housing booklet)
  Simon Hughes, Project Manager
  Commissioning Team
  Briarcourt
  28 Occupation Road
  Lindley
  Huddersfield
  HD3 3EE
  Tel: 01484 226539
  Email: simon.hughes@kirklees.gov.uk