Good Practice Recommendations - Housing
- Work needs to be done at a national and local level to ensure that
no-one is living in residential care who does not want to be there.
- Nationally and locally, there needs to be an increase in accessible
housing stock, in a range of areas, including areas that are “LGB
friendly”. This should include flexible housing stock, that can be
lived in easily by people with a range of impairments. This needs to be a
priority for any future new building of social housing.
- Housing providers need to accept LGB people’s wishes in relation
to safety and location as a valid factor in priority for rehousing and in
making appropriate offers of housing. This may involve reviewing lettings
policies and the way that Choice Based Lettings operate, especially in
relation to disabled people where the availability of suitable housing stock
may be further limited.
- More housing providers and agencies (for example Leeds City Council,
Housing Associations and Estate Agents) and services (for example aids and
adaptations teams) should positively promote their equality policies in
relation to LGB issues, for example by taking up an “LGB
friendly” charter mark (see general recommendations).
- The Commission for Social Care Inspection should specifically look at
the practice of care homes in relation to freedom of expression and support
for LGB service users.
- There needs to be more investigation into alternative forms of housing
to meet the needs of LGB disabled people, such as co-housing. Some state
financing of these schemes may be necessary to enable access for disabled
people who are not working, yet this may still be efficient use of money
compared to options such as residential care or supported living.
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