By John Verge, Chief Executive at Golden Lane Housing

Less than 60 years ago, the majority of people with a learning disability were locked away and kept secret from the rest of society. Young people with a learning disability faced a life of institutional care, where abuse was widespread, and they had no contact with the outside world.

Long fighting from families and campaign groups helped influence government policy, leading to huge changes in housing and support options. The last longstay hospital in England closed in 2009, and more people with a learning disability were empowered to have choice and control over their lives.

Housing associations played a key role, working in partnership with health and social care commissioners, to deliver new models of supported housing to enable people with a learning disability to build their own lives in their communities.

Golden Lane Housing has been working across the UK for over 20 years and now provides person centred, creative housing for over 2,200 people with a learning disability. Thousands of young people and their families have contacted us about the opportunity to live independently. Over recent years, Golden Lane Housing has supported hundreds of young people to move from their family home or unsuitable accommodation into their own flats, houses and bungalows.

For instance, we recently supported a young man, who had lived in multiple hospital placements and temporary accommodation, move into a specially adapted home with his own tenancy in the South West, made possible by a coordinated multi-sector response and grant from NHS England.

Quality and value for money will continue to be the cornerstone of government policy for supported housing. There is clear evidence that strategically planned sustainable, quality supported housing for young people with learning disabilities not only provides long-term
positive outcomes for individuals, but also delivers cost savings for commissioners.

We greatly welcome the new National Statement of Expectations for Supported housing, which sets out clear expectations for local authorities to work with providers to plan future supply.

However, there are still massive systemic challenges to overcome to ensure adequate supply of new sustainable, quality supported housing. The threat of rents caps and the reduction in capital and revenue funding for supported housing has seen many established housing
associations step away from more complex, expensive provision, with newer providers meeting this demand by using private equity funded leasing arrangements.

The Learning Disability and Autism Housing Network is a coalition of national and regional housing associations with a role to raise awareness of the housing needs and aspirations of people with a learning disability and/or autism; promote the positive impact and value of
supported housing; and influence national policy change to increase the supply of housing.

The network is calling for higher levels of capital funding from the new Affordable Homes Programme to ensure a far greater proportion of supported housing is provided for the next generation of people with a learning disability.

The last year has shown that a safe, quality home for people with a learning disability is as important as ever. It is crucial that housing associations, support providers and statutory bodies continue to strategically work together to provide the new housing desperately needed to support all ages of people with a learning disability meet their desire for independence.