There are a high number of young autistic adults unable to achieve the goal of living independently due to a lack of specialist support. To help to tackle this inequality, Daisy Chain, the Teesside-based charity for people living with autism, has launched a specialist advice service to support service users with housing and benefits advice.
The service has been designed to provide advice to young adults living with autism, with support and advice on how to live independently.
Daisy Chain will help young people with autism with a range of practical skills such as how to manage a household budget, shop healthily and sustainably and how to live independently.
The service will be led by public and third sector benefit and housing expert, Rebecca McCabe, who has lived experience of autism. Rebecca said: “For young people with autism, the thought of taking those steps to living independently can be daunting, but with the right support and guidance, it can be life affirming.
“We can provide service users with benefits advice about any welfare benefits they may be entitled to, including Personal Independence Payments (PIP), Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), Housing Benefit, Council Tax relief and Universal Credit.”
Neeraj Sharma, chief executive of Daisy Chain, said: “Having spent the vast majority of my working life in advice and care rights-based environments, I am honoured to announce that we will be launching this new initiative, which in 2021, is long overdue. Finally, individuals with autism and neurodiversity living in Teesside will have access to specialist benefit and housing advice which has been developed to meet their specific needs.”
To find out more about Daisy Chain’s housing and benefits service, please email myhome@daisychainproject.co.uk.