Meet Adam

Adam has severe and enduring mental health conditions, and has spent time in hospital because of his mental health. He has been diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, anxiety disorder and has psychotic symptoms. He also has a condition which can cause some mobility issues.

Adam had been living at a hostel, when he was admitted to hospital. Upon discharge, he was given a two-day NHS funded placement at a Bed and Breakfast, and he applied to the council as homeless. After the short stay in Bed and Breakfast, Adam went to live with his mother. But this was intended only as a temporary solution because his mother had a heart condition and could not provide the level of support he needed.

The barriers Adam faced

Inadequate assessment of his needs
(Case reference: 23 003 461)

The council provided Adam with interim accommodation in a hostel with shared facilities. It assessed his housing needs, and said he needed a room in a shared house or a one-bedroom property.

But the council’s assessment of Adam’s needs did not consider properly his mental health conditions. Had it done so, it would have decided that Adam needed self-contained accommodation, not the shared accommodation he found himself in.

Delay reviewing how suitable his temporary accommodation was
(Case reference: 23 010 082)

Adam’s mother had to raise concerns about the safety of his shared hostel with the council.

She said Adam was nearly attacked by another resident, and this led to a psychotic breakdown.

The council carried out a review of whether Adam’s temporary accommodation was suitable, and decided it was not. But sadly for Adam, the council took nearly seven months to do this. It should have taken up to eight weeks, if the council had followed the timescales set out in law.

The council said it had a backlog of requests. But the impact on Adam was that he had to live in unsafe accommodation longer than he should have because the council took longer to start looking for alternative accommodation that was suitable for him.

Not having his temporary accommodation adapted
(Case reference: 21 015 013)

Eventually Adam was re-housed in alternative temporary accommodation that was suitable. However, over time his needs changed and his physical condition meant he became a full-time wheelchair user.

The accommodation had a step up to the front door, and he sometimes fell trying to get in. The council accepted the accommodation was now unsuitable but did not offer an alternative.

Councils sometimes refrain from adapting temporary accommodation, simply because it is not permanent. But given the scarcity of suitable accommodation for Disabled people, it could be someone’s home for years. Providing a temporary ramp would have made a huge difference to Adam’s quality of life.

Not being told what was happening
(Case reference: 23 003 461)

All through Adam’s journey, the communication he received from the council was poor. This heaped further stress onto what was already a stressful time in his life.

For example, a few months before he moved from the hostel to his temporary accommodation, Adam’s mother had declined an offer of a commercial hotel for him. The council should have got in touch with Adam to better understand his needs and wishes.

The fact it didn’t, left Adam with the uncertainty that he may have moved sooner from the hostel, which was impacting his mental health, if the council had been more proactive.

Advice for councils – getting the basics right

Being homeless is stressful and challenging. However, the Public Sector Equality Duty requires that this should not be any more difficult for Disabled people than it is for anyone else.

Councils can improve Disabled people’s experiences, and avoid adding to the injustice caused by the shortage of suitable housing, by:

• making thorough and accurate assessments of people’s housing needs so offers of accommodation are suitable
• accepting duties promptly and telling people about their statutory review rights as they arise
• completing reviews on time to prevent further injustice and giving applicants access to their statutory rights
• considering whether temporary aids and adaptations, when a Disabled applicant is in unsuitable temporary accommodation, can limit the extent of the injustice caused and improve the day-to-day life of the applicant
• communicating effectively with applicants to help manage expectations and prevent avoidable frustration
• working together with other services, and other councils, to share information and ensure the needs of the Disabled person are addressed collaboratively