GovWire

Funds to improve housing for people with learning disabilities

Department of Health

December 20
11:00 2016

People with learning disabilities will benefit from 25 million of funding to help them live more independently in their own homes. The fund aims to improve their quality of life by giving them independence, and helping them feel more included in their local community.

The successful bids of the 25 million housing and technology fund have been announced today (Tuesday 20 December) by Health Minister David Mowat.

The local authority projects will focus on adapting existing housing, creating new accommodation and giving people support so they have more independence and choice.

Only 15% of adults with learning disabilities in England have a secure long-term tenancy or their own home. The Department of Health aims to address this by supporting projects, including shared ownership schemes, adapting existing properties with new technology and building new technologically adapted homes.

Minister for Community Health and Care David Mowat said:

I want to offer my sincere congratulations to the successful projects. We had a fantastic response to our call for bids and Im delighted that the innovative ideas put forward will now become a reality. I want to thank the bidders for their dedication to improving the lives of people with learning disabilities in their community and wish them all the best in bringing this important project to life.

The main aims of the fund are to:

  • prevent unnecessary in-patient admissions, including solutions for people who need urgent housing and are at risk of entering inappropriate services like hospital or residential care
  • encourage community-based solutions which promote independence and choice over housing
  • make use of new technologies and other bespoke adaptations to improve and adapt existing accommodation
  • save money by reducing the need for costly hands-on care

The allocation of the funding to local authorities, 52 projects across England, is a step towards achieving the governments aim for safe, reliable and innovative alternatives to inpatient care for people with learning disabilities.

The funds were allocated by an expert steering group based on the criteria specified in the application.

The funding will be made available to successful bidders over the next 2 financial years.

This funding allocation follows the announcement of the funds made on the 15 September 2016, you can also view the application pack and criteria for the housing and technology fund.

The 52 successful bids:

Local authority/council Total funding () for financial years 2016 to 2017 and 2017 to 2018
Essex County Council (5 projects) 1,595,000
Thurrock 459,600
Herefordshire Council 285,500
Dudley 16,184
Lincolnshire County Council 65,000
North Lincolnshire Council 610,100
North East Lincolnshire Council 650,000
Shropshire 2,415,000
Northamptonshire County Council 30,447
City of Wolverhampton 207,000
Staffordshire County Council 372,000
Nottinghamshire County Council 520,000
Telford and Wrekin 550,300
Blackpool 645,000
Durham 70,350
Northumberland 7,140
Newcastle 418,000
Stockton 202,000
Sunderland 297,546
Salford 128,500
Sheffield 228,000
Wakefield 400,000
Cheshire West 200,00
Halton 520,000
North Tyneside 527822
Wigan 500,000
Kingston upon Hull City Council 1,244,889
Enfield 730,688
North Central and Camden 704,000
Isle of Wight 475,000
Bournemouth 320,000
Bristol 240,000
Kent County Council (2 projects) 595,000
North Somerset Council 213,000
Bath and North East Somerset 456,800
Slough (3 projects) 1,355,600
Somerset County Council (2 projects) 1,183,900
Surrey County Council 690,000
Swindon Borough Council 340,000
Gloucestershire County Council (3 projects) 1,834,000
Cornwall 1,950,000
Dorset County Council 251,685

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