4 HOME OWNERSHIP FOR PEOPLE WITH LONG-TERM DISABILITIES
5
What are the benefits of
the HOLD model?
These are the main benefits of the scheme that
people and families have told us about:
• Security of tenure. Ownership offers the most
secure tenure available to people and promotes
the separation of accommodation and support.
This separation means that the individual can
choose to change his/her care and support
provider, without the risk of losing their home
or facing eviction/notice on the property.
• Personalised. It allows for an individualised
environment that meets the specific needs
of the person; bespoke accommodation,
environment and location can be key to
managing behaviours that are a challenge.
• Choice and control. It allows for choice about
where the individual wants to live and with
whom. Some people may want to live with other
people. However, some people don’t want to.
We know that shared living arrangements are
not right for some people and can have an
impact on behaviour. This can lead to placement
breakdown.
• Promotes natural relationships. This model
follows the principles of an ‘ordinary house,
in an ordinary street’ – the same as anyone
else, and allows people to be a part of their
community, with the right support.
• Long-term settled accommodation. Many
people with a learning disability and/or autism
who have bought a house through HOLD have
chosen to remain in the same place. Where
people move on, this is usually because family
moved, their needs changed due to aging or
they passed away
1
.
1 My Safe Home, who help people with disabilities secure HOLD
mortgages, have estimated that 79 per cent of all HOLD buyers
that they have helped since 1999 are still living in the same
property, of which 80 per cent have a learning disability or autism.
From the perspective of health and social care
commissioners and others who are working
with people and families to look at housing and
support options for people there are also some
additional benefits:
• Uses other funding. This model draws down
funding from other sources beyond health and
social care, and secures additional investment
from HCA and housing associations
What are the limitations
of the HOLD model?
• Not suitable for everyone. The model won’t
be right for everyone. Not everyone will want to
live on their own, and there are other issues that
might not make it suitable – for example, there
are likely to be issues in securing a mortgage
where someone has a criminal conviction.
• Not everyone will be eligible. For example,
there are certain welfare benefits that people
must be receiving to be eligible for SMI (see
above). It is also limited to people who are
unlikely to be able to work. This is due to some
of the rules around SMI and the benefits you
need to be receiving for an unlimited period.
From this perspective, HOLD is an option for
people with a learning disability and/or autism
who meet the following criteria:
◦ eligible for high or middle rate care
Disability Living Allowance (DLA)/ Personal
Independence Payment (PIP), or Attendance
Allowance for over 60s
◦ over the age of 18
◦ have a clear credit rating, no judgements/
court orders in relation to debts, bankruptcy
and no borrowing or rental debts in the past
◦ have capacity to manage their property
and affairs or someone acting on their
behalf (Court Appointed Deputy etc)