Housing advice

 

There are many things you will need to make decisions about if you are thinking of moving out of home.

 

If you have a disability, you need to think carefully about the kind of house you will need. You will also need to think about how much help and support you will need.

Here is a list of some types of housing available for disabled people.

Supported living
This means sharing a house with a small number of other disabled people. You would be as independent as possible. But you would also be helped by care workers who would visit you or live with you. Care workers would help you with things that you find difficult.

Residential care
This means living in a home with several other disabled people. Most things like cooking, cleaning and shopping would be done for you, by staff who work in the home.

 

Adult placement
This means living with a family and being involved in the things they do. If you live with foster carers and stay with the same family after you are 18 this would be an adult placement.

 

Respite care If you are happy living with your family, but feel that you (and them) would like short breaks to live with someone else, you could consider respite care.

For all of the above types of living you would need to talk to your Social Worker or local Social Services department.

If you are able to live independently, this means living without help from anyone else. You could live in:

 

Council Housing and Housing Associations (sometimes called social housing): 
This could be right for you if you do not have much money. You might also live in social housing if you need somewhere to live urgently or cannot continue to live with your family. For example if you have a baby to look after.

To find out what is available in your area contact the local Council Housing department or local Housing Associations . Your nearest Connexions centre can tell you about these.

Even if you do not have any money for housing, you might still be able to live independently on benefits that you could get. Find out more about money to pay for housing.

Private Rented Housing
This is more expensive than Council Housing or Housing Associations.

 

You could either rent a house that you share with other people, or live on your own in a small flat or bed-sit. The place you rent might have it’s own furniture or you might need to buy your own.

Often you will have to pay a deposit (which could be several weeks rent) before you are allowed to move in.

Student Housing
Some students have housing provided for them by the place
where they are studying. However this is usually only if you are studying away from home.