MRAssociates — Glossary

Where a vulnerable adult lives as a lodger in a family home and receives care, support or supervision from the householder. A fee is paid to the householder for the care, support or supervision provided but there is a private agreement between the householder and the vulnerable adult for accommodation. A charge is payable to the householder by the vulnerable adult for the accommodation and this charge is eligible for Housing Benefit subject to the usual means test.

Adult placements do not count as Specified Accommodation for Housing Benefit purposes because the landlord is a private individual rather than a not-for-profit company or organisation.

The clients placed in an adult placement service tend to be:

• People with a learning disability whose parents have died or are too old and/or infirm to care for them
• Foster children who remain as a lodger in the foster carer’s home when they reach adulthood (often referred to as “staying put”)