Report 54 The housing and support needs of older lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in Scotland

Transcription

1 Research from Communities Scotland Report 54 The housing and support needs of older lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in Scotland

2 The housing and support needs of older lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in Scotland by ODS in partnership with Stonewall Scotland A Report to Communities Scotland April 2005 Research and Evaluation Communities Scotland, Thistle House 91 Haymarket Terrace, Edinburgh EH12 5HE i

3 The views expressed in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of Communities Scotland. Copyright Communities Scotland 2005 ii

4 Contents Executive summary iv 1 Introduction 1 2 Methodology 3 3 Literature review 7 4 Policy and legislative context 17 5 Profile of participants 25 6 Current housing circumstances 31 7 Future housing and support needs 39 8 Improving and developing services 45 9 Other consultations Conclusions Recommendations 55 Appendix 1 Literature review sources 59 Appendix 2 Notes of Older LGBT People s Issues Forum 61 iii

5 Executive summary 1. In June 2004, Organisational Development and Support (ODS), working in partnership with Stonewall Scotland, were commissioned by Communities Scotland, Age Concern Scotland and the Equality Network to undertake research into the housing and support needs of older Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) people, and to develop good practice guidance for the providers and users of housing and support services. For the purposes of the research, older people were considered to be those over 45 years old. 2. The first stage of the research involved a desktop review of relevant research and the legislative and policy context. This looked at information relating to housing and support needs of LGBT people of all ages, those of older people in general and the needs of LGBT older people in particular. 3. In the second stage of the research, the views of more than 60 lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender older people were gathered on their housing and support needs, and the way in which services currently catered for these. 4 In order to encourage participation, a wide range of opportunities to participate in the study was provided. Consultees were able to participate through completion of an electronic/postal survey and/or discussions through , telephone and face to face interviews. The electronic survey was available online through the Stonewall Scotland website and other links. 5. Contact was also made with organisations working in the field of homelessness and housing support to discuss whether, from their experience, particular issues were affecting older LGBT people. This reflected the fact that the study found it difficult to reach people with severe current housing and support needs or who had direct experiences of homelessness. The information from these organisations added to the breadth of experience considered in the research. 6. The Older LGBT People s Issues Forum was the initiating point for this research. A meeting was held with the Forum in October 2004 to discuss the initial findings of the research and to get the views of those present about what should be included in the Guidance for Service Providers and for LGBT People. 7. A further workshop was held in January 2005 to give the Forum the opportunity to comment on the Draft Guidance. All those who participated in the study were invited to this event along with all those who had expressed an interest in the Forum to the Equality Network. 8. Of the 64 participants, 17 were aged 45 to 49, 30 aged 50 to 59 and 14 aged 60 and over. We included three people under the age of 45 who contributed to a focus group discussion or contacted us requesting to be involved in the study. There was a reasonable gender balance; respondents came from a wide variety of locations across Scotland and iv

6 the split between owner occupiers and renters reflected the Scottish pattern. In total, 30 gay men, 27 lesbian women, six bisexual people, of whom two are also identified as transgender, and one additional transgender person, were involved in the research. 9. Respondents were not asked their incomes but they were asked the highest educational qualification that they had achieved. Of those who replied (34), 31 per cent had post graduate qualifications or a degree. This compares to 20 per cent in Scotland (Scotland s Census 2001). From this it can be concluded that the sample was likely to have a higher socio-economic standing than the population as a whole. 10. The main findings of this study were: The majority of people were content with their current housing circumstances. Harassment in the home and neighbourhood was a problem for a significant minority of people, with a number having had to move home to avoid harassment. There was a clear feeling that most services for older LGBT people should be delivered through accessible mainstream services, rather than specialist provision. The one exception to this was residential care and sheltered accommodation, with many people particularly women desiring either lesbian only or LGBT only accommodation with support. Almost half of all participants felt they may experience barriers in the future in accessing quality services particularly residential care - due to age, financial constraints, gender identity or sexual orientation. There was a clear preference for support and care to be provided at home for as long as possible. Sexual orientation and gender identity were generally seen as less of a barrier to accessing services than age linked to a lack of respect and financial considerations. While those with finance available were confident that they could purchase home care services which would meet their needs, those relying on local authority or voluntary services were less confident, believing that lack of money meant that choice was restricted. Many did feel that sexual orientation or gender identity could be a barrier to quality service provision, due to the assumptions of service providers and a lack of awareness and training. The quality of service delivered was perceived to depend very much upon the staff and individuals delivering the service. People believed that sexual orientation and gender identity issues were often ignored in policies and in equalities training which led to a lack of consistency in service delivery. A number of people also highlighted that they did not know what services were available in their local area, and what to expect when they accessed these services. v

7 11. The report makes a number of recommendations, including: That in research of this type in future, greater focus should be placed on identifying possible participants through organisations working with homeless people and others with significant housing and support requirements. That the Equality Network and Age Concern Scotland should continue to support and develop the Older LGBT People s Issues Forum. That Communities Scotland should ensure that the resources that it has to promote the building of capacity of individuals and of organisations takes account of this harder to reach community of interest and more generally take account of the needs of equalities groups particularly those with multiple identities (like older people who are also LGBT). That Communities Scotland should publish the guidance for older LGBT people which has been produced as part of this research, and distribute it widely to community and voluntary organisations which work with either LGBT people or older people (or both). That housing and support providers self complete the checklist which has been produced as part of the research and that they set appropriate performance measures and regularly measure their progress against these. That housing providers should have clear policies in place to deal with harassment and that, normally, this should lead to the harasser ceasing their behaviour or them requiring to move from the area rather than the victim being required to leave their home. That housing and support providers should provide more information on the range of services that they can provide to allow older people to remain in their homes, with the provision of support and care in the home. That organisations working with older people (like Age Concern Scotland) should work closely with residential care providers to help provide a bridge between independent living and residential accommodation, by encouraging older people to consider in advance the possibility that they may require residential care and to plan how to get the best outcome from this. That Communities Scotland work with a small group of older LGBT people interested in developing mutual support housing with a view to establishing the need and practical options for the provision of this housing model. That those organisations that currently provide befriending services for older people should specifically consider how they might better meet the needs of older LGBT people. That LGBT organisations actively engage with older members of the LGBT community and that they consider whether they might develop befriending services for older LGBT people. vi

8 1 Introduction 1.1 In June 2004, Organisational Development and Support (ODS), working in partnership with Stonewall Scotland, were commissioned to undertake research into the housing and support needs of older Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) people, and to develop good practice guidance for the providers and users of housing and support services. 1.2 This research was commissioned by Communities Scotland, Age Concern Scotland and the Equality Network. The need for this piece of work was identified by the Older LGBT People s Issues Forum, which was established by Age Concern Scotland and the Equality Network in January The aims of the study were to: Identify the housing and support needs of older LGBT people, and the differences and commonalities between older LGBT people specifically and older people in general. 1 Identify the legislative and best practice frameworks that providers of housing and support services to older LGBT people have to operate within. Identify the services that are in place by housing and support providers to meet the needs of older LGBT people. Assess older LGBT people s awareness of the housing and support services available to them and identify the extent to which they feel their housing and support needs are being or are likely to be met. Identify the real and perceived barriers LGBT older people have in accessing housing and support, e.g. external (organisational structure, institutional prejudice) or internal (fears and experiences, community attitudes). Identify ways in which these barriers might be, or have been overcome. Develop specific good practice guidelines (including proposed indicators and standards) for housing and support providers. These guidelines should reflect relevant legislation. Develop user friendly guidance for older LGBT people to assist them in accessing housing and support services. 1.4 This report details the findings of the research. 1.5 The report is accompanied by Good Practice guidance for housing and support providers. Guidance for older LGBT people wishing to access housing and support services has also been developed. These publications are available from Homepoint, Communities Scotland. 1 The workshop on older LGBT people led by Helena Scott, Age Concern Scotland is included in the report by Beyond Barriers of their rural conference, Linking Scotland Planning Futures: Connecting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people across Scotland and beyond, 13 & 14 September

9 2 The housing and support needs of older lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in Scotland

10 2 Methodology 2.1 This study was undertaken by ODS, working in partnership with Stonewall Scotland. 2.2 The approach to the study recognised the challenges of identifying older lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals in Scotland willing to participate in this research. Therefore the methodology was underpinned by an approach which aimed to be flexible, adaptable and accommodating in order to encourage participation. In the study, older people were defined as those aged 45 and over. Desktop review 2.3 The first stage of the research involved a desktop review of relevant research and the legislative and policy context. This looked at information relating to housing and support needs of LGBT people of all ages, those of older people in general and the needs of LGBT older people in particular. Consultations older people 2.4 The study gathered the views of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender older people on their housing and support needs, and the way in which services currently catered for these. 2.5 The overall aim was to consult with around 75 older people throughout Scotland with an equal number of two age groups those aged 45 to 59 and those aged 60 and over participating in the research. 2.6 In order to encourage participation, a wide range of opportunities to participate in the study was provided. Consultees were able to participate through completion of an electronic/postal survey and/or discussions through , telephone and face to face interviews. The electronic survey was available online through the Stonewall Scotland website and other links. 2.7 The primary method for identifying participants for the research was a snowballing approach, whereby a number of initial contacts were used to identify further consultees. Promotion of the study 2.8 To initiate the snowballing approach and promote the study, contact was made with groups and organisations in contact with potential consultees. 2.9 Information about the study was initially circulated by to the following contacts: 3

11 Stonewall Scottish friends and national campaigns list Beyond Barriers ing list quality Network ing list Around and Ab-Out mailing list West of Scotland lesbian and gay Forum Scottish LGBT organisations (80 contacts) Scottish general equalities database Scottish trades unions Positive Action in Housing (quick mail) Contact was made with representatives of LGBT community or voluntary sector organisations, who promoted the study to users or staff within their organisations. This included: OLGA (Older Lesbians Getting About) Granite Sisters Transalba Transmen Scotland Sandyford Initiative Reach Out Highland Remember When Ourstory Scotland Glasgow LGBT Centre Glasgow Women s Library A further round of contact with twenty agencies and community and voluntary sector organisations was made by post in November Publicity about the study led to information featuring in a number of publications and websites such as: UK Gay News The Big Issue Granite Sisters Website Reach Out Highland s Newsletter and Website Sexual Health and Wellbeing Learning Network Quarterly Newsletter. Consultations service providers 2.13 During the second phase of the research, contact was made with organisations working in the field of homelessness and housing support to discuss whether, from their experience, particular issues were affecting older LGBT people. This reflected the fact that the study found it difficult to reach people with severe current housing and support needs or who had direct experiences of homelessness. The information from these organisations added to the breadth of experience considered in the research The organisations contacted were: Simon Community Loretto Housing Association Shelter Scotland Cyrenians Edinburgh In each case, discussions have taken place with staff with direct experience of working with older LGBT people. 4

12 2.16 We made contact with a number of local authority officers working in the fields of homelessness or social work to discuss the experiences of older LGBT people A small sample of service providers were also consulted to gain their views on the content of the guidance for housing and support providers. Older LGBT People s Issues Forum 2.18 The Older LGBT People s Issues Forum was the initiating point for this research. A meeting was held with the Forum in October 2004 to discuss the initial findings of the research and to get the views of those present about what should be included in the Guidance for Service Providers and for LGBT People A further workshop was held in January 2005 to give the Forum the opportunity to comment on the Draft Guidance. All those who participated in the study were invited to this event along with all those who had expressed an interest in the Forum to the Equality Network. Focus group 2.20 The needs of the LGBT people included in the survey were compared to those of older people in general through a focus group held in January This group (with one of the Age Concern User Panels in Fife) explored similar issues as the interviews with LGBT older people and identified the housing and support needs of older people more generally. Study definitions and terminology 2.21 Scottish Executive guidance recommends that (where appropriate) research should comply with the terminology and meanings of the Scotland Act. Therefore, this study uses the following terms among others: sexual orientation, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and gender identity (McManus, 2003). These terms are commonly used in sexual orientation research in Scotland, although it is acknowledged that the appropriateness of their use depends on the research topic Scottish Executive guidance also indicates the need for research reports to clearly define the terms used due to a lack of standard definitions The definitions used in this research have been developed from a recent research report by the INCLUSION LGBT health project, which was established by Stonewall Scotland and NHS Scotland. In making these definitions, the INCLUSION report acknowledges that some are open to debate both within and outwith the LGBT community. However, for the purposes of this study, we have used the definitions in the INCLUSION report (with additions suggested by the Advisory Group for the research), as follows: Bisexual A person who is sexually and emotionally attracted to people of both sexes. Gay Refers to a person whose primary sexual and emotional attraction is to people of the same sex. The term is more commonly applied to men who self-identify as same sex attracted, rather than men who have sex 2 McManus, S. (2003) Sexual Orientation Research Phase 1: A Review of Methodological Approaches, Scottish Executive, Edinburgh, p.8 5

13 with men but do not self-identify as gay. While many women identify as gay, the term lesbian is commonly used to describe same sex attracted women. Heterosexism The belief that heterosexuality is naturally superior to homosexuality or bisexuality. This belief justifies domination and the imposition of values and beliefs. Homophobia An irrational fear and dislike of lesbian, gay and bisexual people, which can lead to hatred resulting in verbal and physical attacks and abuse. Lesbian A woman whose primary sexual and emotional attraction is to other women. This term often refers to women who are same sex attracted rather than women who have sex with other women but do not self-identify as lesbian. Transgender Transgender is an inclusive umbrella term used to describe the diversity of gender identity and gender expression. The term can be used to describe all people who do not conform to common ideas of gender roles, including transsexual people, transvestite people, intersex people and bi-gendered people. Transphobia - An irrational fear and dislike of transgender people, which can lead to hatred resulting in verbal and physical attacks and abuse. Transsexual Transsexual is a term used to describe people who are born into the wrong physical sex this includes pre-operative, postoperative and non-operative female-to-male and male-to-female transsexual people Central to this study has been equality issues due to age. For this purpose, we have defined ageism as prejudice or discrimination on the grounds of age 3 INCLUSION Project (2003) Towards a Healthier LGBT Scotland. Stonewall Scotland and NHS Scotland, p

14 3 Literature review Introduction 3.1 This section gives an overview of existing research and practice relating to the housing and support needs of older LGBT people. 3.2 The overview includes information on research findings on the housing and support needs of LGBT people of all age groups and for older people in general. However it focuses on issues of particular relevance to older LGBT people. 3.3 The review is divided into the following sections: Study Definitions and Terminology Context of the Research Research into LGBT People in Scotland Research into Older LGBT People in Scotland Older People and Housing and Support Older LGBT People and Housing and Support Service Provision and Practice. Context of the research 3.4 There has been a limited amount of research into the needs and experiences of LGBT people in Scotland (Morgan and Bell, 2003). 3.5 The importance of undertaking research into, and producing guidance on, the particular housing and support needs of older Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) people has arisen through the Older LGBT People s Issues Forum in Scotland, which was established in January Housing has been identified as a key issue by this group, with people expressing particular concerns about loss of independence and autonomy, and experiences and perceptions of prejudice and discrimination by service providers. 3.7 Despite the limited body of sexual orientation research in Scotland, in recent times a greater number of studies have been undertaken (McManus, 2003). It would appear that research into the Scottish context is increasing: The evidence base has been particularly limited in Scotland, at times restricted to Britain wide surveys with sufficient Scottish respondents to report on the regional sub-sample. In recent years, however, several of these national studies have either begun reporting in Scotland separately and in greater detail, or have initiated an independent Scottish project. (McManus, 2003:p9) 7

15 3.8 However, there has continued to be a lack of focus in the Scottish research on the needs of particular LGBT groups: Particular sections of the Scottish LGBT community tend to be excluded from sexual orientation research. The access issues for transgender people, lesbians and bisexual women, ethnic minority people, people with disabilities, younger and older respondents and those living in rural areas all need to be tackled. (McManus, 2003:p9) 3.9 Those studies that have been carried out in Scotland into the needs and experiences of LGBT people have tended to reflect the concerns of those living in the Central Belt. The research that has been done has tended to focus on younger people, often male and from the central belt (McManus, 2003) There has been limited UK wide research on older LGBT people. Older people have been excluded from (or, at least, not positively included in) many of the studies that have been undertaken to date. In addition to a lack of specific focus on the needs of older people, research methodologies may exclude older people from participating in general research studies. Approaches to recruiting respondents, such as through LGBT venues or organisations can, bias the sample towards the younger, well-educated, middle class, motivated and on scene male respondents (McManus, 2003; p37) Research that has looked at older LGBT people has tended to focus on the young old, with little known about LGBT people aged 70 and over (Turnbull, 2001) There is also evidence of a lack of data on, and research into, the needs and experiences of transgender people (McManus, 2003): Transgender respondents are often not included in sexual orientation study samples, because their needs and experiences are perceived to be so different to those of other LGB respondents Recently, the Scottish Executive publications Sexual Orientation Research Phase 1 and Sexual Orientation Research Phase 2 examined research into LGBT needs, gaps in research and priority areas for research identified by LGBT community organisations. This has led to the development of a public policy research agenda which will help inform the activities of the Scottish Executive in this area. Research into the housing needs of LGBT people 3.14 Evidence suggests that LGBT people of all ages may face additional barriers to accessing services. A number of recent studies demonstrate that this includes housing provision. Research into wider LGBT age groups has highlighted the centrality of sexual orientation in relation to the housing difficulties for LGBT people, with these difficulties being exacerbated by barriers to accessing appropriate service provision (Anlin, 1998). 8

16 3.15 Providers of helplines for lesbians and gay men have highlighted the prevalence of enquiries related to housing difficulties (Dibblin, 1988) (Foster, 1988). A study of the poverty and social exclusion of lesbians and gay men in Glasgow identified that over one tenth of those surveyed felt that they had been discriminated against by housing service providers, on the grounds of their sexuality (John and Patrick, 1999) The amount of systematic research into the housing needs of LGBT people in Scotland and the UK has been limited (McLean and O Conner, 2003) Recently there has been some increase in research into the experiences of LGBT people in relation to housing provision. Publications by two English-based Housing Associations (Polari Housing Association and the North British Housing Association) have focussed specifically on older people There are a greater number of studies into the housing needs of young LGBT people, often with a particular focus on homelessness. An example is a study into the housing needs of young LGBT people in south east Scotland (Stonewall and The National Centre for Social Research, 2001) Similarly, there has been research into the housing needs of younger lesbians and gay men living in the central belt area of Scotland (SFHA, 1997) Although the SFHA study specifically dealt with people under the age of twenty seven, there were some interesting findings in relation to social housing provision and the experiences of LGBT people Respondents felt they had to conceal their sexual orientation; demonstrated a low awareness of the services available from housing providers; and were wary of approaching housing service providers. Half of those surveyed felt they had to conceal their sexual orientation to keep their house and perceived that they would not receive a sympathetic hearing or support from housing providers. It suggested that experiences of discrimination made young lesbians and gay men less likely to approach social housing providers than other young people A study into the housing needs of lesbians living in London, found that sexual orientation was often a causal factor for housing difficulties which were being experienced (Anlin, 1998). Amongst the lesbians in the study, issues of safety and location were particularly important, especially in terms of remaining close to friends or living in areas where there could be contact with other lesbians Sexual orientation may lead to direct discrimination from service providers and therefore disadvantage in terms of accessing appropriate housing. A study in Edinburgh (Plant et al, 1994) talked to gay men who had been denied a mortgage, faced eviction or denied housing because of discriminatory attitudes to their sexuality. This study also identified that a number of gay men had also experienced poor treatment from Housing Association staff or mortgage lenders. 9

17 3.24 Some studies suggest links between experiences of service provision and the type of housing and support services LGBT people are likely to access. Morrison and Mackay (2000) found that gay men in Edinburgh were more likely to rent their home privately and less likely to rent from a housing association, and suggested that this was due to needs which were not being met by housing providers. It is important, however, to note that in the Morrison and Mackay study, the recruitment methods used for participants (primarily gay pubs and clubs) may mean that they did not reflect the diversity of tenure profile among the LGBT population Issues likely to affect LGBT people s housing circumstances that have been highlighted in research include evictions from family homes or rented accommodation, homelessness, co-habitation and succession rights and discrimination by service providers (McManus, 2003) Representatives of LGBT organisations in Scotland have highlighted the need for services to LGBT people, including housing services, to become more accessible, so that LGBT people have equal access to public services. Participants identified the need to ensure that specific services are available to meet the needs of LGBT people if appropriate. Staff training was considered an important element in the accessibility of mainstream provision (McLean and O Conner, 2003) These views are borne out in other studies, where suggestions about how to address the housing needs of LGBT people tend to highlight the need for mainstream services to become more accessible, in conjunction with the development of specific services targeted to LGBT people where a need for this is identified. An important consideration in increasing accessibility is the need for service providing organisations to tackle the perceived barriers that exist, through proactively engaging with LGBT people. Research into older LGBT people in Scotland 3.28 Difficulties in researching the needs of older LGBT people can arise for a number of reasons. These include a significant number of older LGBT people who choose not to be open about their sexual orientation; their invisibility, to a large extent, among social networks and the relative lack of organisations specifically for older LGBT people. Therefore, whilst the needs of LGBT individuals in general in Scotland appear to be being increasingly recognised, the particular needs of older people are often marginalised or hidden. This situation is by no means unique to the Scottish context As well as having concerns about discrimination from outside the LGBT community, older LGBT people are vulnerable to discrimination from the wider LGBT community due to ageism. A 2003 survey of LGBT people living in Scotland found that of the 28 per cent (227) of respondents who had experienced discrimination or harassment within the LGBT community, sixty of these (26 per cent) felt this was due to ageism (Morgan and Bell, 2003). Other studies have also found that the needs of older people can be ignored by the wider lesbian and gay community (Hubbard and Rossington, 1995). 10

18 3.30 There are concerns among older LGBT people about ageing, some of which are specifically related to sexual orientation and some of which would be shared by older people generally. In the survey mentioned above, of the 1,000 LGBT people who were surveyed, almost half had concerns about ageing, particularly related to loneliness, access to LGBT friendly services, care and support, and rights of partners: the main concern was of being alone, isolated and lonely, followed by poor health, loss of looks, a lack of LGBT friendly services and partnership rights (Morgan and Bell, 2003; pi). Older people and housing and support 3.31 Older people experience poverty, isolation and poor health more than other age groups, and this impacts on their housing circumstances and increases their need for housing and support services A significant proportion of older people live alone, leading to them being disproportionately affected by poverty. In Scotland, according to the Scottish Household Survey (2001/2002), 26 per cent of single pensioners have an income of 6,000 per annum or less, compared to seven per cent of couple pensioner households Older people living in rural areas may experience barriers to accessing appropriate services due to distance from services, transport provision and a limited range of accessible service provision. Difficulties of accessing service provision may be exacerbated for older LGBT people, and there is a general lack of knowledge about the particular experiences of LGBT people living in rural areas As with other older people, LGBT people may experience ageist attitudes which affect the services they receive. This ageism is as prevalent within the gay and lesbian community as it is throughout society as a whole (Turnbull, 2002). The ageism and economic disadvantage that is experienced by many older people means that older LGBT people may face multiple barriers in accessing services LGBT older people share the same concerns as other older people of loneliness, ill health and financial concerns (Turnbull, 2002). However, these concerns may be exacerbated for older LGBT people. Age Concern England highlights that: the ageing process itself is not necessarily different for lesbians, gay men and bisexuals, but when differences and difficulties do arise they can be acute (Smith, 2002;p9) Older LGBT people and housing and support 3.36 There would appear to be a greater reluctance among older LGBT people to access housing and support services. For example, anecdotal evidence suggests that lesbians and gay men are less likely to access specialist accommodation for older people than the general older population (Hubbard and Rossington, 1995). Another study reported that older LGBT people are five times less likely to access services for older people than the general older population (Smith, 2002). 11

19 3.37 However, older LGBT people may be more likely to need professional support services due to the more limited support networks which may be available to them. Research in the US has found that older LGBT people are more likely to live alone, have no children and to age as single people compared to the general older population (SAGE, 1999) Despite these factors, many older people may gain value from the support to be found from within the LGBT community. Berger (1982) found that people who were integrated within the gay community were less afraid of ageing and Turnbull (2002) stresses the importance of strong friendship networks for lesbians and gay men as they age The US based organisation, the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, comments that older LGBT people face three specific barriers to accessing housing support: When lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender seniors need to turn to others for housing assistance, they often face three challenges: lack of family help, a shortage of welcoming housing and fear of discrimination and harassment. (HRCF website, 2004) A lack of accessible services and fear of discrimination in accessing services would also seem to apply to the UK context. In studies of specialist accommodation, reluctance to access these services among older LGBT people was attributed to concerns over discrimination, fear of harassment and loss of privacy (Hubbard and Rossington, 1995) Concerns about accessing services may be partially due to a combination of age and sexual orientation. Many older LGBT people have had to conceal their sexual orientation due to the social and legal climate they have lived in: the majority of older people have lived a large part of their lives in less liberal times and this experience has made them understandably wary and cautious. In practice, this means that older lesbians, gay men and bisexuals are less likely to access services and will do so on limited terms (Age Concern website, 2004) The legal context in which older gay and bisexual men have lived has meant that for a large part of their lives their sexual orientation has left them open to criminal prosecution, potentially shaping the current attitudes of many. In 1967, the Sexual Offences Act led to the partial decriminalisation of homosexuality in England and Wales. Legal change in Scotland was slower, and it was in 1980 that the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act decriminalised homosexuality on similar terms to the 1967 Act Older people may be concerned that they will need to hide their sexual orientation if, through ageing or loss of a partner, they become increasingly reliant on support services (Hubbard and Rossington, 1995). Heterosexism amongst service providers has the potential to lead to older LGBT people feeling the need to hide their sexual orientation when they access mainstream services, which can be traumatic and isolating (Smith, 2002;p13). 12

20 3.44 For those who require support and services to continue living in their home there may be fears about homophobia among care providers, leading to discrimination in the treatment being offered, and issues of confidentiality (Age Concern, 2003) Issues of confidentiality are particularly important among elderly people who are wary of coming out in the local community and fear that they may be harassed or victimised if their sexual orientation becomes widely known (Hubbard and Rossington, 1998) In terms of supported or sheltered accommodation, older LGBT people may have specific concerns around discrimination through homophobia among staff and residents and the ease with which they can be open about their sexuality (Age Concern, 2003) Fears about potential discrimination from others in their age group may be well founded. The social and legal context that has influenced older LGBT people may also have had an effect on their peers. Australianbased research into the social differences in views on homosexuality examined the levels of tolerance of homosexuality in a range of countries, including the United Kingdom (Kelley, 2001). Tolerance was found to decrease sharply with age, a factor that the study attributes primarily to increasing tolerance within these countries. In Scotland, these findings are reinforced by the Scottish Social Attitudes Survey (2003) where attitudes towards lesbians and gay men were markedly less tolerant among those aged 65 and over in comparison to the general population. Fifty one per cent of respondents in the 65 and over age group felt that, male homosexual relationships are always wrong compared to twenty nine per cent of the general population (Bromley and Curtice, 2003) Older LGBT people may also be reluctant to access sheltered or residential accommodation due to a lack of access for same sex partnerships. In the Polari study, twenty five per cent of respondents were caring for someone else, the study concluded that a desire to continue caring for partners at home: may be linked to worries about being unable to move easily as a couple into sheltered accommodation or residential accommodation as several respondents indicate. This may reflect a realistic assessment of such accommodation and its suitability for older lesbians and gay male couples. (Hubbard and Rossington, 1995:p32) Older people in same sex relationships can face particular difficulties in accessing all types of care and support services due to assumptions about heterosexuality made by service providers. This can lead to the need to repeatedly explain situations to service providers: some particular and often painful difficulties and problems can be encountered care and medical staff often make the assumption that a carer is a brother, sister or friend so there is the continual pressure and need to come out as lesbian, gay or bisexual (Age Concern, 2003;p4). 13

21 3.50 In considering entering mixed supported or residential accommodation, there may be concerns among older LGBT people about the opportunities for privacy and the potential for facilities which allow them to socialise with other lesbians and gay men: One central theme was the need for privacy, preferably in self-contained accommodation, but with facilities which gave opportunities for socialising with other lesbians and gay men. (Hubbard and Rossington, 1995; p46) The location of residential and supported accommodation can also be an issue. Studies suggest that many older LGBT people want to remain close to a network of other lesbians and gay men, particularly given perceptions that they may be isolated and have to conceal their sexual orientation within residential/supported accommodation, or constantly face the need to come out to those around them: There are questions around community and friends, relationships and lifestyles and the importance of these for the older person s comfort, security and quality of life. It is perhaps these issues that make the context for lesbians and gay men growing older different to that of heterosexual men and women. Heterosexual environments may be unable to respond adequately in these situations (Hubbard and Rossington, 1995: p39) Older transsexuals may experience difficulties with matters such as pensions, benefits and housing because of their legal status. This can affect their economic circumstances (Smith, 2002; p22) For older LGBT people, their optimism about future housing circumstances may be strongly linked to economic circumstances and the prospect of continuing health enabling people to remain within their own home (Hubbard and Rossington, 1995) The concerns of older LGBT people would appear to be backed up by the performance of mainstream services, who are failing to meet the needs of older LGBT people in a number of areas: There is a lack of understanding among providers of services for older people on the issues of sexuality and the lifestyles of lesbians and gay men. This partly reflects the rejection of sexuality in older people generally. (Hubbard and Rossington, 1995: p67) The needs of older LGBT people are not reflected in mainstream services and there is a lack of interest in meeting the needs of older LGBT people (Hubbard and Rossington, 1995). Currently, there are no examples in the UK of specialised housing, supported accommodation or residential care for older lesbians, gay men or bisexuals, or of regular accommodation that takes account of sexual orientation (Age Concern, 2003) At an international level, particularly in the United States, more studies have been undertaken on the housing and support needs of older LGBT people. This has been reflected in the development of specific services including examples of specialist care and residential/supported housing for older LGBT people. 14

22 3.57 However, the US based organisation, the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, highlights that: there are ambivalent reports about whether lesbians and gay seniors want housing targeted specifically to them many lesbians and gay seniors express little interest in segregated housing and a preference is to remain in their own community near friends and loved ones (HRCF website, 2004) Conversely, in the UK-based Polari study, specialist services were favoured by the majority of participants. Three areas that were seen as a priority were the development of specific community care services for lesbians and gay men, specific accommodation for older lesbians and gay men and the development of social and support networks A preference for specialist services, particularly in residential and sheltered accommodation has been identified in other research (North British Housing Association). The desire for specific community care services is said to be due to the lack of acknowledgement of the LGBT community within mainstream services. Older LGBT people may feel specialist services would mean their needs were better met; that they would feel more at ease in accessing these services, and that accessing gay-specific services would lead to a strengthening of their social networks (Hubbard and Rossington, 1995) More negative views about the need for specialist services may come from concerns about ghettoisation and the view that the onus should be on mainstream services to provide adequately for everyone. Service provision and practice 3.61 This section reviews some of the views on good practice in service provision for older LGBT people Age Concern England has produced a key document Opening Doors: A Resource Pack (2002). The pack offers good practice guidance to agencies in service provision to older lesbian and gay people. It is important to note that the resource pack does not look at the experiences of bisexual and transgender people. The Opening Doors work acknowledges that similar issues may apply to bisexual and transgender people and comments that there is a need to specifically address the needs of these groups in service delivery The good practice guidance focuses on the need for service providers to engage actively with the lesbian and gay community. It comments that agencies should not assume that their services are accessible to everyone but should actively engage with groups that may be excluded and sets out basic principles that should be applied to work with older lesbians and gay men (and all older people). These are: establishing and maintaining confidence communicating effectively working in a demonstrably non-discriminatory way recognising individual rights and needs respecting privacy and confidentiality consulting potential service users. 15

23 3.64 Age Concern recommends that organisations actively promote their approach to service provision and integrate LGBT issues into their organisation through the use of newsletters and invited speakers. Promotional material and other information should use inclusive language and appropriate visual imagery. Active efforts should be made to employ LGBT staff The Scottish Federation of Housing Associations gives guidance on the approach of social housing providers (SFHA, 1997). This is based on research into the housing needs of younger LGBT people but there are some areas where there may be common themes for the experiences of older people. The SFHA proposes that services to LGBT people could be improved by: the integration of sexual orientation within equalities monitoring firmer action and procedures to tackle harassment on the grounds of sexual orientation improvements to staff training providers actively seeking referrals from LGBT organisations ensure information is appropriate and accessible for LGBT people the promotion of succession rights and joint tenancies for same sex partnerships Hubbard and Rossington (1995) suggest the following approaches to improving housing and community care for older LGBT people: involving older lesbians and gay men in service planning to increase the capacity of mainstream services to meet the needs of this group the development of training packages for service providers and increasing awareness among service providers of the specific needs of older LGBT people accessible information about services positive use of language that includes older LGBT people (Opening Doors). Conclusion 3.67 Overall, existing literature identifies that older people and LGBT people can often experience barriers in accessing housing and support services. Research into the needs of older people identified ageism, economic disadvantage and ill health as barriers to accessing appropriate services, while research into the needs of LGBT people (of all ages) identified additional barriers of discrimination and concerns of coming out to service providers However, while much research has been undertaken into housing and age, sexuality and gender identify as separate issues, very few studies bring together these themes, particularly in the Scottish context A bibliography including all sources used in this literature review is included as Appendix 1. 16

24 4 Policy and legislative context 4.1 This section considers the policy and legislative framework in Scotland relating to the provision of housing and support services, in order to identify policies and legislation that are of relevance to older LGBT people and service providers. A range of documents were examined for their relevance to the housing and support needs of older LGBT people and to give an overview of the context within which these housing support services are currently being delivered to older people. Legal context 4.2 Prior to the introduction of the Civil Partnership Act 2004, same sex partnerships have not had the same legal status in the UK as married couples. This has led to differing treatment and has had implications on the financial security of older people in same sex partnerships. If a same sex partner died without leaving a will, the surviving partner could lose any claim to the estate Even where a will was been drawn up, the lack of partnership rights in inheritance meant that lesbians, gay men and bisexuals in same-sex relationships may have to sell their home to pay the tax debt after their partner s death. 5 There have also been tax inequalities in capital gains tax and married couples tax allowance. 4.4 The surviving partner in a same sex partnership may also not have access to survivor s benefits from pension schemes. 4.5 Same sex partners may not be considered as next of kin, and this may have implications on partners being consulted and informed about medical treatment. 4.6 In some local authority areas, the method used to calculate contributions towards the cost of residential care can adversely affect same-sex couples. Where a person going into care is married and their partner wishes to remain within the house, the value of the property is disregarded. However, for unmarried same-sex couples the rule of disregard of property is at the discretion of the local authority. This means older LGBT people may pay more for their care than a married person in a similar situation However, the law in the UK is changing with the introduction of the Civil Partnership Act The Act will come into effect on 5 December The Act will mean that same sex couples can form a legal civil partnership by signing a registration document. Registering a civil partnership will entitle civil partners to many of the same rights and responsibilities as married opposite sex couples who enter into a civil marriage. Among these rights and responsibilities are: clear legal status of partnership recognition under intestacy rules (where someone dies without a will) employment, pension and tax benefits responsibilities relating to child support recognition for immigration purposes. 4 Age Concern, Planning for Later Life as a Lesbian, Gay Man, Bisexual or Transgendered Person, p Age Concern, Planning for Later Life as a Lesbian, Gay Man, Bisexual or Transgendered Person, p. 8 6 Age Concern, Planning for Later Life as a Lesbian, GayMan, Bisexual or Transgendered Person, p. 6 17