Recognising difference

What this means 

People value different things about home. Although there may be some trends common to broad groups of people, such as older people, it’s a very personal aspect of our lives. It’s important not to make assumptions. However, we can usefully bring out some broad trends, while recognising that everyone will have a different idea of what their home means to them. Individual experiences of race, culture, sexuality and the type of disability can all play a part in determining an individual’s housing needs.  

People don’t want to be put in a corner, in a disabled person’s corner.

How do housing and home have a knock-on effect on other parts of our lives? 

In this video, David Yeandle describes how housing and home has a knock on effect on many other parts of people's lives:

The research 

There is an overarching theme in the research of the effort people go to, sometimes with very little help, to ensure their home meets their needs. The Equality and Human Rights Commission (2018) found evidence of disabled people eating, sleeping and bathing in one room, with family members having to carry people upstairs and between rooms. The lack of accessible housing is the fundamental reason for this – disabled people typically have to wait 25 months for suitable housing, with waits commonly stretching into many years (Equality and Human Rights Commission, 2018). 

Younger disabled people are particularly demoralised and frustrated by the housing on offer to them (Equality and Human Rights Commission, 2018). This dearth of suitable, affordable housing can mean people investing huge amounts of time, effort and money in adapting their existing homes to their unique needs, and often in really ingenious ways (Provan et al., 2016). For people with learning disabilities, it has been found that Specialised Supported Housing – a way for people to live independently in the community with support – has a positive impact on people’s wellbeing, but not everyone has equal access to it (Mencap, 2018). 

It’s not only about what people need – it’s also about what people want in terms of design, location, and who they live with. For example, the ODESSA Project looked at ‘ageing-in-place’ (in other words, supporting people to live independently for as long as possible) and found that, while many older people didn’t like prominent adaptations in their home, others valued items such as grab rails and emergency call systems being very visible, rather than blending in with their home décor (Odessa Group, 2018). It was a very personal choice and one that can change and evolve as time goes on. 

A 2022 study that took place in Kirklees looked specifically at the current housing situations and future preferences of older Black and ethnically minoritised people in the local area. A key finding was that housing that may meet needs in terms of accessibility did not necessarily meet other needs. Many older South Asian people cited that it was important to them to be near a place of worship, while many older African and African-Caribbean people wished to have access to cultural amenities and live in a community where at least some people shared the same cultural background – but these preferences were not routinely considered (Beech, Copeman & Ghadiali, 2022). 

What you can do 

If you are in direct practice: Finding out answers to simple questions can make all the difference to people’s current and future wellbeing at home. First, spend some time reflecting on the different backgrounds, identities, and personalities of the people you work with alongside their needs. How can you open up a conversation about: 

• How they have adapted their home over the years, and any innovative solutions they have developed. 
• The look of adaptations, how they like their house decorated, as well as their functions. 
• If there is a potential move happening, or it seems that the current home isn’t meeting their needs, what the person values outside of physical accessibility – preferences for décor, communities, nearby facilities for example. 
• What you can realistically offer. Is there anything you can do that is zero or low-cost? Can you link people to any local community services or charities that can help? 

If you are in policy or senior management: Ask yourself honestly, how much do local services in housing and social care take into account people’s wants as well as their needs? How can you use your position to personally argue for this? You may find it useful to use some of the information in the section on How housing has a knock-on effect everywhere else to make an economic, as well as a moral, case. 

What specialist housing services for older or disabled people do you know about, or could refer people to, that take account of race, ethnicity, culture, gender, gender identity or sexuality? Are these co-produced and/or co-run by people who share this identity – and, if not, how can you change this? 

Further information 

Read

Ageing well: Housing options and alternative modes of living for later life from Research in Practice. 

Read

Shelter has a page of information on the housing rights of disabled people – covering social housing, sheltered accommodation, private renting and home ownership. There is also a page on discrimination in housing. 

Watch

This webinar from the National Housing Federation on the history of Black and ethnic minoritised housing in Britain. The webinar was created for Black History Month 2020 and will give you an insight into how specialist organisations, particularly those set up by or co-produced with people of similar housing needs, can be incredibly effective. 

Use 

The Good Lives Action Collection has a range of resources to support people with learning disabilities to live good lives, including thinking about homes and housing.