Starting out. Housing

Starting out Housing

About the Starting out series The Starting out series aims to give people who are losing or have recently lost their sight essential information about living with sight loss. Other titles in the series are: Benefits, concessions and registration Education Emotional support Employment Help from social services Making the most of your sight All these leaflets are available in audio, print and braille formats. To order please contact our Helpline on 0303 123 9999 (all calls charged at local rate), email helpline@rnib.org.uk or visit rnib.org.uk/shop. If you or someone you know is living with sight loss, we re here to help. For a full list of the information sources used in any of these titles please contact publishing@rnib.org.uk

Contents Introduction 4 Staying where you live now 5 Alternative housing options 19 Your rights 30 Further information 36 3

Introduction If you have lost all or some of your sight you might be thinking about changing where and how you live. You could be concerned about whether or not you can remain in your current home, you may be moving out of your parent s home for the first time or you may be thinking about moving to rented accommodation, and wondering what support there is for you. This booklet is a good starting point to get you thinking about your housing options. Your potential options are quite wide, and range from sorting out how you can live safely and independently in your own home, to moving into residential care if you feel that you need the level of support that kind of accommodation offers. This booklet also provides lots of sources of advice and information to help you further in dealing with this very important part of your life. 4

Staying where you live now Even if you have lost your sight you can often carry on living in your own home. There are a number of changes you could make within your home to make it safer and easier to live there and to get around. There are also many aids and products which can help you to live more safely and independently. Adaptations Adapting to life when your sight is impaired is about learning new skills and techniques, making changes to your environment to accommodate your new circumstances, and making the most of any useful remaining vision you may have. If you are losing your sight or have a sight problem you may need to carry out improvements, repairs or adaptations to your home to help you continue to live there independently. A lot of the suggestions for making adaptations are common sense, practical ideas. Some might involve using an appropriate tradesman or buying an item or aid that will help you at home. 5

Colour contrast Making use of contrast in your home is a simple way to make things easier to see. Contrast is about how much something stands out from its background because of the difference in colour or tone used on different surfaces, and on fixtures and fittings. It is harder to see things that are similar in colour to the background that they are on, so you can use different colours or tones to make them stand out. For example a natural wood door handle on a natural wood door can be difficult to see, but a door handle painted in a darker colour or perhaps made from metal should be easier to see. Below are some other examples of how you could use contrast around your home to make it easier for you to see things. Paint the handrail or banister on your staircase in a contrasting colour or tone that makes it stand out from the stairs and the wall. Make the edge of each step stand out by securely fixing a contrasting white plastic or metal strip, called nosings, on the edge of each step. To make doors and door frames stand out, paint each in a contrasting colour or tone from the door frame and the wall respectively to make both easier to see. 6

Stick a contrasting, coloured strip on the inside or the outside edge of cupboard doors to help you notice when one has been left open. To make it easier to see whether sliding glass doors are open or closed, and avoid a potentially serious accident, you could stick a coloured transfer design on the glass. In the bathroom Use safety flooring which is non-slip and non-reflective and is a contrasting colour to the walls. Choose wall tiles with a matt finish and pick tiles that are in a contrasting colour to the colour of the floor. Fit a grab rail that contrasts with the wall colour. Choose soap dispensers, toilet rolls and toilet roll holders which are a contrasting colour from your bathroom wall, washbasin and toilet. Choose toilet seats or washbasins that contrast from the surfaces they are near, such as a dark wood or black toilet seat on a white toilet bowl. You can also use tactile or audio labelling to make it easier to find and identify different items in the bathroom. For more information about using contrast and labelling, see our booklet in this series Making the most of your sight. 7

In the kitchen Paint or put tape on the edges of work surfaces and shelves in a contrasting colour or tone to make the edges easier to see. A sink area of a contrasting colour or tone from the work surface can be helpful. The taps can be of another contrasting colour or tone to the sink. Use products to help you in the kitchen. Use dark and light chopping boards for light and dark coloured foods respectively, and use coloured utensils so they stand out on work surfaces and in storage spaces. Kitchen products made or adapted for blind and partially sighted people include easy-to-see and talking timers, and audio labels for food items. Having the best lighting for you is also very important in the kitchen. For more information on lighting see page 13. 8

Electrical fittings Some tips to help you use electrical appliances more easily. Use switches and sockets which contrast with the walls, for example a dark red light switch on a white wall; or put a contrasting strip of tape around the outside of the switch. Tie brightly coloured, contrasting ribbons or material onto pull cords for lights. Use brightly coloured, contrasting markers called bump-ons on the control knobs on your appliances so that you can see and feel them more easily. Stick written labels, marked in big letters with a thick black felt-tip pen if this helps you, on to things to make them stand out. Bump-ons and large labels are available from RNIB. Manufacturers can supply tactile adaptations for kitchen appliances. Painting and decorating Choose paints with a matt finish gloss finishes are shiny and can cause glare. Walls painted or papered in pale colours reflect light into the room but be aware that white walls can cause glare. 9

When putting up new wallpaper or buying new furnishings select plainer paper and fabrics as things stand out better on plain or subtly patterned surfaces or backgrounds. On walls, floors, ceilings and doors use colours or tones that make them stand out from each other. A border around the edge of a room can help to make the walls stand out. Consider using plain or patterned borders, or a coloured dado rail, in your hallway and corridors to help you to find your way around. Outside your home Repair broken paths or loose paving and keep grass short to reduce the risk of trips and falls. Improve the lighting near your front and back doors to reduce the risk of falls after dark, for example fit a sensor so that the light comes on automatically. Choose front door handles that are easy to see and grasp. Remove plants or weeds that are causing an obstruction and make sure that garden ornaments and features are not blocking paths. Put away gardening tools and equipment safely after use. 10

Paying for adaptations If you feel that you would benefit from improvements to your home, you can contact your local council social services department and ask them to arrange for a social worker to assess your needs. If you are a homeowner with savings, it is likely that any work needed will be your own financial responsibility. If you aren t able to pay for work yourself there are other options available to you. Funding from social services Social services departments have a duty to help to provide adaptations or additional facilities to secure safety, security and convenience for people with disabilities, if they agree the changes are necessary and you meet their criteria. In practice, housing authorities generally take responsibility for structural alterations and fixed equipment. Social services departments generally deal with forms of equipment which can be removed with relatively little or no structural modifications and which are not covered by a Disabled Facilities Grant, such as stairlifts. 11

Disabled Facilities Grant The Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) is a grant that you could receive for home adaptations in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. It is available to you if: you or another person living in a property is disabled, including having sight loss you or another disabled person in the property meets one of the criteria for which a DFG is paid. For example, you experience problems accessing your home or using the basic amenities within it, such as the kitchen or bathroom, or you need to improve the safety of your home, for example by improving the lighting or installing blinds your local housing authority agrees that the works are reasonable and can be carried out. Contact your local housing authority, or in Northern Ireland your local Housing Executive Grants Office, for a DFG application form. If you live in Scotland your local authority can provide grants, loans, subsidised loans, and practical assistance for repairs, improvements and for structural adaptations to a house which are essential to your needs as a disabled person. 12

You may also be eligible for other grants to repair, improve or adapt your home. Contact your social services department for further details about discretionary grants. Lighting Making simple changes to the lighting in your home could make a huge difference to your daily life. Improving the lighting on the stairs and in the kitchen will help reduce the risk of trips and falls. Make sure that your lighting can be switched on and off at the top and bottom of the stairs. Good lighting is important in the kitchen, to avoid accidents when you re working. Lights can be fixed to cupboards or shelves so they shine directly on to your worktop. 13

Different lights are useful for different tasks. Adjustable lamps are useful for tasks like reading, writing and knitting, as they shine directly onto the task item. Fluorescent bulbs produce more light, but although they can be more expensive to purchase they are cheaper to run in the long term. For a detailed guide to lighting and light bulbs please visit rnib.org.uk/lighting We sell a range of task, floor and portable lighting, including some fluorescent bulbs. For more information, contact our Helpline on 0303 123 9999 or visit rnib.org.uk/shop 14

Safety and security You need to feel free from the risk of accidents if you want to continue living in your own home. Often just a few small changes will make you feel safer. Here are some simple safety tips you can follow to reduce the risk of falls and of hurting yourself on furniture and doors. Always leave doors closed or fully open, not left ajar. Close drawers and cabinet and cupboard doors immediately after use to avoid walking into them or banging your head. Avoid clutter or anything that you could trip over, especially on the floor. If you have children or grandchildren, try to keep toys off the floor or limited to a designated play area, or both. Make sure carpets and rugs are smoothed and that mats can t slip. Put up continuous handrails on either side of the staircase to hold on to. In the bathroom use a bath or shower mat and non-slip mats on the floor. Tidy up potential trip hazards around your home such as loose wires around household appliances and floor lamps. 15

Install smoke alarms to reduce the risk of fire. They are relatively inexpensive and quite easy to fit. If you also have a hearing impairment then consider installing smoke alarms with a vibrating pad or flashing light. You can contact your local fire service, which will often carry out fire safety checks and fit a free fire alarm. If you or someone else in your household has reduced mobility then think about how you will get out of the property in an emergency. For people with serious mobility problems, consider having your bedroom as close as possible to an exit or a safe area. Get a landline telephone for your personal safety, for example to contact a carer or relative if you feel unwell or have a fall. Mobile phones can run out of charge and the signal may fail. A telephone is even more important if you live alone. Big button telephones are available from RNIB and other retailers. Your local authority may be able to help you with paying for your line rental. There are also various schemes that provide low-cost telephone access. You can call British Telecom on 118 500 or your own telecom provider for more details. You can install an entry phone system to help you feel more secure. It is a telephone that allows you to speak to people who call at your home so you can check who it is without having to open your front door. 16

Get a community alarm. This allows you to call for help in an emergency even if you can t get to a phone. You will be given a button on a pendant to wear at all times. When you press this, staff at a 24-hour response centre will alert the best person to help you, whether it s your neighbour, a relative, friend or the emergency services. Contact your local authority for more details. An occupational therapist or rehabilitation officer can give you advice on safety measures you could take. Contact your local social services department or call our Helpline on 0303 123 9999 for more information. 17

Mobility training You may be able to get mobility and orientation training to help you to move about and walk safely and confidently, both inside and outside of your home. This should help you to maintain your independence. The training will be one-to-one and will be provided in and around your living environment. The content of the training can vary but may include helping you to re-orientate yourself around your home, learning some local routes, sighted guide techniques with you and your partner, other relative or carer, and learning to use a long or guide cane when outdoors. Contact the Sensory Impairment Team in your local social services, as it is usually responsible for providing mobility training. The training itself may be carried out by an external agency such as a local society for blind and partially sighted people. 18

Alternative housing options Supported housing Supported housing allows you to live independently in the community but with some support. The support varies between schemes but might include help with setting up a home and managing finances, assistance with cleaning and shopping, and peer support and befriending. Supported housing could be a short-term option for you before you are able to move into less supportive, permanent accommodation. Supported housing is either accommodation based, where you live in a specifically designated property to receive support services, or non-accommodation based, where you receive support services while living elsewhere. Action for Blind People has two especially designed supported housing schemes, in South East London and in Surrey. Contact our Helpline for further information at helpline@rnib.org.uk or on 0303 123 9999. 19

Thomas Pocklington Trust provide a variety of supported and sheltered housing, and care and support services, for people with sight loss in London, Plymouth and the West Midlands. For further information call 020 8995 0880 or email info@pocklington trust.org.uk Sheltered accommodation Sheltered housing offers independent living with extra help if required. It is aimed at couples and single people aged over 60 years of age, although some schemes are available for over-55s and for younger people with disabilities. You can rent, or you may be able to buy, a sheltered housing property. Sheltered housing is a purpose-built flat, house or bungalow and is self-contained, with a separate front door, kitchen and bathroom. Sheltered housing has a scheme manager or warden on site to help arrange suitable support for you, manage any repair work and help out in emergencies. But they don t provide personal care services. You can have care provided by the social services department if you require it, such as meals on wheels, or someone to help to get you up in the morning, or to wash, or do your housework. Residents have access to 24-hour emergency care assistance via an alarm system linked to a monitoring centre, which will contact a family member, GP or emergency service. 20

Alternative options are extra care sheltered housing and very sheltered housing, which offer a higher level of care. These schemes may be for you if you are less able to manage on your own, but you do not need the level of care available in a residential care home. You can visit any sheltered housing scheme you are considering moving into, and speak to the manager and some of the residents before making your decision. To apply for sheltered accommodation run by your council, contact your local housing department. To apply for sheltered housing run by a housing association you can either be referred by your council or approach it direct. There is likely to be a waiting list to move into sheltered properties. Some private developers have sheltered housing properties that you can buy, or part buy through shared ownership schemes (see page 28). Residential care Moving into a residential care home is a big step, and one that you should consider carefully. It is something you may like to discuss with people who are close to you, such as family and friends; or you may want to speak to a social worker in your local Sensory Impairement Team; or you could get advice from RNIB, Action for Blind People or another independent organisation such as Age UK or Shelter. 21

You should not feel obliged, or pressured, to move into a care home. It would involve losing some of your independence and privacy, so you should decide what is best for you. Even if you have lost a lot of your sight, or had other problems such as falls, other options may still be available. For example, you may prefer sheltered housing (see page 20) or you might be able to get enough help to stay in your own home. If it helps, you could have a short stay in a care home for a trial period, or get respite care to give you and your carer (if you have one) a break. 22

There are residential care homes available both for older people and for younger adults with disabilities. They may be privately owned, run by the voluntary sector or by the local council. A home which is registered to provide personal care will offer support that means you get help with your basic personal needs, such as meals, bathing, going to the toilet and medication. If you are a younger adult there are residential care homes that can provide you with care and support. These are sometimes for people with more than one disability, or can be for adults with a particular disability or condition. These homes may offer permanent residence or provide care for a temporary period until you are able to live independently or move to a different type of accommodation. You can choose which care home you would prefer to live in, even if your local authority is wholly or partly paying the cost of you living there. But the social services department must first agree that the home is suitable for your needs, and that it would not cost more than they would normally pay for a home that would meet your needs. If you choose to live in a more expensive home, you are likely to have to pay for the difference in the cost. 23

Paying for residential care Before you move into residential care your local authority will complete an assessment of your income and capital. The financial assessment will work out how much they would expect you to contribute towards the cost of your care home fees. In some cases your council can disregard the value of property you have been living in, such as if your partner is still living there. If your capital, including savings, is worth over a set limit or if your weekly income is more than the cost of the fees of the care home, you will have to pay a contribution, or in full for your residential care. The deferred payment scheme allows you to keep your property and still get help from your council with paying your care home fees. The council then recovers the fees when your property is sold. Your council can tell you more about the scheme. 24

RNIB residential care homes We offer permanent and short stay accommodation for older people with sight loss, at three homes, in Sussex, Somerset and North Yorkshire. We can also offer advice about finding and paying for a residential home. Contact our Helpline at helpline@rnib.org.uk or on 0303 123 9999. You can also visit rnib.org.uk/residentialcare for details of our residential care homes. General housing options There are a number of other housing options available. Living with relatives One option is to move in with relatives. This may be a good idea if you feel that you need additional support and are happy that you can rely on those relatives. If you live with relatives, practical considerations that you will need to think about include financial arrangements, such as whether or not, and how much, you will pay in rent or towards bills. Consider how much support you need and who will provide it. If your care needs increase, will your relatives be able to provide the level of care and support that you require? If you are living in a couple s home and they split up what would your position be? 25

It is best that all these kinds of things are discussed openly before coming to any arrangement to lessen the risk of arguments or falling out with relatives if the arrangement does not work out. Although it sounds formal, it would make sense to write down an agreement about the arrangement. Rented social housing Generally managed by councils and housing associations, rented social housing offers housing on a secure basis at lower, more affordable rents. When councils and housing associations allocate social housing they look at those who are in the greatest need and reasonable preference criteria. You may get reasonable preference if you or anyone else in your household has health problems that are made worse by where you live, or has mobility problems that make it difficult to get around your home. Private renting You can rent property from a private landlord. You can find this advertised in local newspapers, on the web, and in letting agencies. Most private rental property is let on assured shorthold tenancies, meaning the landlord has the right to end your tenancy after the first six months. The tenancy agreement should tell you how much deposit you have to pay, the rent and how it is to be paid, and 26

who is responsible for maintenance and repairs. You can also choose to live in a shared, privately rented property. This might either be with friends, or in accommodation where the person that already rents the property is looking for an additional person to rent a room. Another option is to rent a room as a lodger within a family house, where you are able to make use of shared facilities such as the bathroom and kitchen. It is very likely that in some of the above options that the property will not necessarily be, or cannot be, adapted for additional needs that arise as a result of your sight loss. A private landlord will not have any duty to carry out adaptations, although it is possible with his or her agreement. 27

Buying a property You can also potentially buy your own property. You will have to have enough money to buy the property outright, or be able to raise a mortgage to buy the home. You are likely to need a significant deposit to get a mortgage, and the lender will carry out credit checks. This will include a check on your income to establish how you will repay the mortgage. Shared ownership You can also buy a leasehold property through a shared ownership scheme, provided through housing associations. You can buy a share of the home of between 25 per cent and 75 per cent of the home s value, and pay rent on the remaining share. You ll need to take out a mortgage to pay for your share of the home s purchase price. Home Ownership for People with Long-Term Disabilities (HOLD) is a type of shared ownership scheme. It means that you can buy a share of any property on the open market. A housing association buys the remaining share and you pay rent on this share. If you re aged 55 or over you can also get help from another Help to Buy scheme called Older People s Shared Ownership. It works in the same way as the general shared ownership scheme, but you can only buy 28

up to 75 per cent of your home. Once you own 75 per cent you won t have to pay rent on the remaining share. You can buy more shares in your home any time after you become the owner, known as staircasing. Once you own 100 per cent of your home, you can sell it yourself, but the housing association has the right to buy the property back for the first 21 years after you fully own it. Buying your own home always carries a risk. The most important thing is your ability to pay the mortgage. If you default on the repayments your property may be repossessed. Property prices can go up or down. If they go down, you may be in negative equity, meaning that you owe more on your mortgage than your property is worth. If you are thinking of buying your own property, either independently or under a shared ownership scheme it is very important to get independent financial advice. 29

Your rights Help with your housing costs Housing Benefit If you are renting a property you may be able to get Housing Benefit to pay towards some or all of your rent. It is a means-tested benefit, so whether or not you qualify will depend on the level of your income, and your capital such as savings. If you have a partner then his or her income and capital will also be taken into account. You can claim Housing Benefit whether you are in paid work or not. You may or may not get Housing Benefit that covers your full rental bill. This depends on other factors such as the size of your property and the amount of your rent, and whether or not you have any adult non-dependants (other than your partner) living with you. You may have heard that the Government is replacing a number of existing means-tested benefits including Housing Benefit for people of working age with a new benefit called Universal Credit. This is a gradual process, with different Jobcentres around the country trialling new 30

claims for Universal Credit at different times, but the Government aims to complete this by April 2014. So, if you are of working age, on a low income and need to make a new claim for help with your housing costs, you may be asked to claim Universal Credit instead of Housing Benefit. Call our Helpline on 0303 123 9999 or visit rnib.org.uk/universalcredit if you would like more information about when and how the introduction of Universal Credit could affect you including if you already receive Housing Benefit. Help with mortgage interest If you own or part-own a property you may qualify for Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI) depending on what benefits you receive. SMI can help you with the costs of mortgage interest payments, or some loans for repairs and improvements to the home, or to buy your ex-partner s share in your home if you have separated. It won t help to pay off the capital of a loan. SMI is based on the level of the Bank of England s published Average Mortgage Rate. The rate of interest you actually pay on your mortgage is not taken into account. If you are unable to meet your regular mortgage payments you should speak to your lender and seek independent advice from a debt or housing adviser or both. 31

To find out if you qualify for help with housing costs, call our Helpline on 0303 123 9999 and ask for a benefits check or use our online benefits checker at rnib.entitledto.co.uk Community care If you decide to stay in your own home, or move to sheltered housing, you may still need to get help with looking after yourself. You have the right to ask your social services department to carry out a needs assessment. This will determine the nature and level of any care that you require, and help in creating a care plan for you if you are entitled to get help. Care provided at home can include: a home help to assist with general household tasks personal care to help you with personal needs such as washing and dressing adaptations and special equipment to help you with daily living, such as a raised chair or bed, or equipment to help you get in and out of the bath, meals on wheels if you have difficulty cooking for yourself and access to a day care centre and lunch and social clubs. 32

If you are entitled to help, the services you receive may be provided by the council, or the health service or by other agencies. You may have to pay for some of the help that you receive. Whether you will have to pay for your care at home will depend on your income, and capital such as savings, and your council s charging policy. If you have a complex medical condition in addition to your sight loss, and substantial and ongoing care needs, you are entitled to have the full cost of your care paid for by the NHS. If you think you may qualify, ask your GP, hospital consultant, district nurses team or other medical professionals to arrange an assessment. For further information on getting care in your own home please see another booklet in this series, Help from social services or call our Helpline on 0303 123 9999. Photo: Alexander Raths/Shutterstock.com 33

The Equality Act The Equality Act helps to ensure that as a person with sight loss you cannot be discriminated against when you use the services of housing providers such as landlords and housing associations. The Act includes that reasonable steps should be taken to provide information in an accessible format, such as large print. For example, if a housing association refused to provide a tenancy agreement to a partially sighted tenant in large print, that is likely to be an unlawful failure to make a reasonable adjustment, and would constitute discrimination. The Act places a duty on landlords and managers of premises to ensure that they make communal areas accessible, where reasonable; however, your landlord is not required to remove or alter a physical feature that limits or prevents you gaining access to communal areas. Your landlord should still discuss trying to find a reasonable alternative with you though, such as improving the lighting in a communal area. You might also wish to check the terms of your tenancy agreement to see what that entitles you to. The Equality Act makes it unlawful for a person selling, letting or subletting a property to discriminate against a disabled person when providing services including by 34

offering the premises to them on less favourable terms, by not letting or selling the premises to them, or by treating them less favourably. An example might be charging a higher rent to a person with a disability. Provisions in the act allow service organisations to treat disabled people more favourably than people who are not disabled, for example a housing provider could give priority to disabled people when carrying out repairs. Homelessness If you are homeless or threatened with homelessness (which can include the home you are in not being fit for you to continue to live in) and you are blind or partially sighted or aged over 60, your council may treat you as being in priority need. This means that the council may have a legal duty to provide you with temporary or permanent accommodation. Priority need is only one of the things the council should take into account when deciding if it has a legal duty to house you. If you are homeless or about to become homeless, call Shelter for expert advice on 0808 800 4444, contact your local Citizens Advice Bureau or, if you live in England, Action for Blind People on 0303 123 9999. 35

Further information RNIB RNIB is the UK s leading charity offering information, support and advice to almost two million people living with sight loss. If you, or someone you know, has a sight problem we can help. Call the RNIB Helpline on 0303 123 9999 Email helpline@rnib.org.uk rnib.org.uk Action for Blind People Action for Blind People have teams based around England that can provide a range of advice and support including specialist advice for housing and tenancy issues. Action for Blind People also have two supported housing schemes, one in London and one in Surrey. Call the RNIB Helpline on 0303 123 9999 actionforblindpeople.org.uk 36

Your local council Your local council can provide you with a wide range of help with your housing needs everything from assessing your needs in the first place, to providing adaptations or a community alarm to help you live safely in your home, or even to apply for sheltered accommodation. You can find contact details of your local council from their website, from directory enquiries or you can visit sightlinedirectory.org.uk to find details of your local social services team. Shelter Shelter, the housing and homelessness charity, offers advice and information about housing issues and rights, and can suggest local sources of support for you. Call 0808 800 4444 Visit england.shelter.org.uk if you live in England or scotland.shelter.org.uk if you live in Scotland 37

Citizens Advice There are Citizens Advice Bureaux in many cities, towns and villages around the UK that provide face-to-face advice on a range of issues, including housing and welfare benefits. You can use the address below to find your local bureau: citizensadvice.org.uk/index/getadvice.htm If you live in England you can call 08444 111 444. If you live in Wales you can call 08444 77 20 20. Visit adviceguide.org.uk for online advice and information. Home improvement agencies Home improvement agencies are available throughout the UK. Their staff can advise you on adaptations you could make and how these can be financed, and help you with organising adaptation work. For further information contact the relevant organisation for your country. England: Foundations (the national body for home improvement agencies, including local Care and Repair, and Staying Put schemes) Telephone 0845 864 5210 or email info@foundations.uk.com foundations.uk.com 38

Scotland: Care and Repair Forum Scotland Telephone 0141 221 9879 careandrepairscotland.co.uk Wales: Care and Repair Cymru Telephone 0300 111 3333 (for your local agency) or email enquiries@careandrepair.org.uk careandrepair.org.uk FirstStop Advice Provided by the Elderly Accommodation Counsel in partnership with other local and national organisations, FirstStop Advice offers free advice and information to older people, their families and carers, about housing and care options for later life. Call for free on 0800 377 7070 or email info@firststopadvice.org.uk firststopadvice.org.uk Age UK Age UK offers a wide range of advice, information and services to older people. Age UK can give you advice about your housing options and getting help at home. Call for free on 0800 169 6565 ageuk.org.uk 39

Thomas Pocklington Trust Thomas Pocklington Trust provide a variety of supported and sheltered housing, and care and support services, for people with sight loss in London, Plymouth and the West Midlands. Call 020 8995 0880 or email info@pocklington trust.org.uk pocklington-trust.org.uk Sightline directory The online directory to help you find the people, organisations and services you need. sightlinedirectory.org.uk Local societies Local independent societies for blind and partially sighted people can provide various forms of advice and support. You can find the contact details for your local society from the Sightline directory or call our Helpline on 0303 123 9999. 40

We value your feedback Please help us improve the information we supply by sharing your comments on this publication. Please complete the form and return to: FREEPOST RSCB-GJHJ-HLXG RNIB Publishing, 105 Judd Street London WC1H 9NE (There is no need to use a stamp.) Alternatively, you can email publishing@rnib.org.uk Please include your contact details if you request further information. 1. Where did you receive your copy of this leaflet? 2. Did you find that the information was presented in a way that was easy to read and easy to understand? Please give details of anything you feel could be improved.

3. Is there any information you would have found helpful, or were expecting to find, that was missing? 4. Further comments. Please use the space below for any other comments you have on the information in this leaflet or any aspect of your contact with RNIB. 12374/10/13

Further information from RNIB The Confident living series is for people who are losing or have recently lost their sight and are trying to build their confidence to continue to lead full and independent lives. Titles in the series are: Leisure Living safely Managing your money Reading Shopping Technology Travel All these leaflets are available in audio, print and braille formats. To order please contact our Helpline on 0303 123 9999 (all calls charged at local rate), email helpline@rnib.org.uk or visit rnib.org.uk/shop. If you or someone you know is living with sight loss, we re here to help.

If you, or someone you know, is living with sight loss, we re here to help. Ask RNIB is the simple, easy to use way to find the answers to your questions online try it today at rnib.org.uk/ask Printed: October 2013 Review date: October 2014 RNIB Registered charity number 226227 ISBN 978-1-4445-0147-6 PR12374P