In 2015 Commonweal Housing joined forces with Stonewall Housing and the Big Lottery Fund to fund a study into the current provision of housing and related care and support for the older LGBT population in the UK.
Stonewall Housing a specialist Lesibian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT )housing charity in England, they provide Housing support and advice for LGBT people as well as supported housing for young people and lobby on for LGBT housing rights.
Stonewall approached Commonweal as they were considering potential housing solutions to the social injustice of housing for the older LGBT population in the UK.
The result of those conversations was the commisioning of a pioneering feasibility study for Stonewall Housing to look at the demand for dedicated older LGBT housing in the UK.
Particular circumstances for this client group can mean a difficult relationship with family or a lack of children, so the support net that many older people come to rely on can be absent. Perhaps as importantly, there can be greater barriers to key components of a happy and fulfilling later life such as companionship and protection from loneliness.
The report reviews research reports from the last two decades and examines options for potential new schems such as co-design and quality og build issues, security and loaction concerns, community facilities and tenure and affordability consideration.
The study not only suggests that a LGBT hub could be possible, they also make recommendations that can be achieved in the shorter term such as:
Recommendations for action to support and encourage the development of specialist older LGBT housing schemes across all tenures.
To encourage housing and care providers to develop good practice and greater understanding in their provision of services to the older LGBT community.
To develop a resource pool to bring together research, learning and experiences of older LGBT housing.
To work with housing providers and others on the development of a range of housing options in order to maximise the choice of housing available to older LGBT.
To provide advice and support to individuals and groups who want to work together to create their own housing and support solutions.
To build links and shared understanding of different housing options between providers and customers.
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