Optional Extra - May 2008
Welcome to Optional Extra.
Every two months we bring you information, news and ideas about home ownership and disabled people, including finding accessible property, shared equity, adaptations, maximising benefits and innovative funding solutions.
We are aware through contact with disabled people and their families, housing associations, local authorities, support providers, advocacy and advice organisations that there are some great stories to tell, experiences to share and new ideas to implement. In each edition we hope to have a spotlight on people and organisations to share approaches to overcoming the barriers disabled people can face in accessing and sustaining home ownership and demonstrate the difference that equal access to home ownership can make to people’s lives.
Do you have a story to share or an issue to raise for discussion or debate? If so, email us at optionalextra@ownershipoptions.org.uk or contact Susan at the Ownership Options office.
Ownership Options - 10 years on“Everyone and every situation is unique. There are hurdles and there are difficulities. We have seen the need for a new national organisation to help people who have learning or physical disabilities to find their way into home ownership.” Your Move, SHS, 1997
So we quoted on Ownership Options’ first leaflet in January 1998. It’s 10 years on, and through partnerships with disabled people, Government, local authorities and the private sector, Ownership Options has succeeded in demonstrating and substantially raising awareness of what is possible, and how to achieve it. The landscape has changed, but the housing experience of many disabled people and their families has not changed, or not changed enough. Ownership Options is in the final stages of decision making on the detail of our future strategic direction. However our interim report from consultants ODS has provided the clarity we needed, that achieving our original vision - of equal access for disabled people to home ownership - still requires a national organisation dedicated to addressing and overcoming the barriers to this.
Towards the end of the year we hope to be organising either a national or a series of regional events to celebrate the difference, and to share our learning. We’ll tell you more about this later in the year. In the meantime, you can access our publications, including information leaflets, research, and stories here.
New approach to helping owners adapt houses for disabled peopleThe Scottish Government is consulting on proposals for a new scheme of finanical assistance, including adaptations grants. The Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 gives new powers and duties to local authorities which opens the way to a new approach to helping home owners to adapt property to suit disabled occupants. The Scottish Government has now issued draft guidance and regulations to support this, with a consultation period running until 1 July 2008. This is the biggest change in national policy on this issue in 30 years. The draft regulations sets out proposals for a mandatory grant for adaptations and minimum percentages to be applied to mandatory grant. These proposals represent a challenge as well as an opportunity for local authorities to improve individual housing conditions for disabled people.
Click here for more information on this and Ownership Options’ other current work in improving access to home ownership for disabled people.
Further information at Housing (Scotland) Act 2006: Consultation on draft regulations and guidance can be found at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/publications/2008/04/07144231/0.
Ownership Options has been closely involved with the Private Sector Housing Strategy Group in developing the new guidance. We would be interested to hear your views, and will of course be preparing our own response.
Passport to sustainable housing - Gina finds her route to home ownershipGina* contacted Ownership Options in August 2007. She was living in a bedsit, on a week-to-week tenancy and her landlord had put the property up for sale. Gina was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in 1993, and in 1997 had to sell her home as her health difficulties limited the hours she could work and affected her finances. Now well and able to work full-time, Gina was keen to secure long-term, secure, affordable housing to underpin her recovery. She wanted to live in a safe environment, close to friends and family and at the same, time be confident that she would be able to meet her housing costs in the future.
Ownership Options advised Gina on her housing options and suggested she apply for the Open Market Shared Equity Pilot Scheme in Edinburgh. Gina was concerned that her current income was above the income threshold specified in the scheme; but anxious about taking on a mortgage commitment that might not be sustainable bearing in mind her condition. Ownership Options worked with Gina to get the supporting documentation she needed for a detailed shared equity application, and liaised with Link Homes to ensure their understanding of her needs as a disabled person. In March 2008, Link Homes accepted Gina’s application and correctly applied the exceptions criteria in the Shared Equity Administrative Procedures which meant that Gina was exempted from the maximum income criteria. Assessed as able to contribute £83,000 towards a suitable house purchase (considerably less than some of the mortgage offers she received), a sum both Gina and Link Homes were confident would be affordable in the long term, Gina was given her passport to look for a suitable property near her support networks. We were about to say ‘Happy housing hunting’, but as Gina has already made a successful offer – ‘Here’s to happiness in your new home!’
This is one of a number of inspiring examples of the way in which RSLs are helping disabled people by making good use of the exceptions criteria for disabled people in the Shared Equity Administrative Procedures. For more information on the exceptions RSLs can make, and how to make them, you can download an extract from our forthcoming guide to making shared equity accessible to disabled people - 'An Equal Share'
*Gina is not her real name.
Need to find an accessible home? Want to sell an accessible home?Matching the people who say ‘yes’ to these questions is the challenge facing disabled people and many of the RSLs we work with. We’re delighted to report that Almond Housing Association has allocated both of its shared equity properties designed to wheelchair user standard; other RSLs have developed processes for early marketing so that potential applicants who will need purpose designed or adapted homes can be identified at design stage. However there are still large geographic areas where we know disabed people or families want to buy a home, but nothing is being provided or planned which will meet these needs. We are currently thinking of new approaches for bringing this market information to RSLs involved in shared equity. Do you have any ideas? Please let us know by emailing optionalextra@ownershipoptions.org.uk
Here is a reminder of some websites which may help you in marketing accessible property:
www.accessible-property.org.uk
www.mobilityfriendlyhomes.co.uk
From December 2008 all properties for sale will have to be marketed with a ‘Home Report’ which includes a single survey including an accessibility audit. For more information go to www.homereportscotland.gov.uk.
Firm Foundations A meeting of the Scottish Parliament on 8th May made a resolution noting the consultation responses on Firm Foundations and confirming “that the Scottish Government must act to address these issues, including continued work to prevent and reduce homelessness, the further development of housing to meet particular and specialist need, dealing with the blockages to the supply of housing, providing affordable housing to buy and within the socially rented sector…”. For the full report go to The Scottish Parliament, Minutes of Proceedings, www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/chamber/mop-08/mop08-05-08.htm
Training and WorkshopsCan we help you to raise your awareness and knowledge of ownership options for disabled people?
We regularly visit housing and social work departments, housing assocations and other service providing organisations in supporting disabled people to become or remain home owners. But we can also offer in-house training to staff groups, or training for multi-agency groups. We’ve provided this to 15 organisations in the last year across Scotland. Contact Susan at susan@oois.org.uk or on 0131 661 3400 to discuss your requirements and how we can tailor a programme to meet them.
We are particularly keen to develop working partnerships with Welfare Rights Teams who already have an advisory capacity within housing and community care teams, in relation to enabling best use of housing cost regulations within the Income Support system. Contact Susie at info@oois.org.uk or telephone her at 0131 661 3400 if you would be interested in developing this.
Equal Futures is a family led organisation supporting people with disabilities and their families to plan for the future. Ownership Options will be providing a workshop on Housing Options (including home ownership) on these dates, as part of series of workshops which help people to think about the future. The workshops are open to disabled people, family members, circle of support members and professionals.
For more information and booking details for Perth click here and for Edinburgh click here.
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