Vulnerability Policy survey

Defining vulnerability. We have chosen a definition of 'vulnerability' that is intended to be inclusive. The factors influencing vulnerability include: 

Health status – overall level of physical and mental well-being, which influences a person’s ability to function in everyday life.

• Long term physical health condition
• Mental health condition
• Short term illness or injury
• Impaired mobility or frailty
• Addiction or substance misuse
• Neurodiversity
• Being discharged from hospital

Life events - significant changes or disruptions in a person’s life. Examples include:

• Bereavement
• Relationship breakdown
• Job loss or sudden reduction in income
• Becoming a parent or carer
• Leaving care or moving away from family home
• Being released from prison
• Cuckooed or criminally exploited
• Eviction or loss of previous accommodation

Resilience – the ability to withstand, adapt to, and recover from adversity, stress, or change. Examples include:

• History of being in care
• Previous or current domestic abuse
• Other experience of trauma
• Living in poverty
• Isolated or limited social support
• Difficulty managing stress
• Difficulty controlling emotions
• Lack of self-esteem

Capability – having knowledge, skills, and ability to perform actions or make decisions to manage life effectively. Examples include:

• Low knowledge or confidence managing finances
• Poor literacy or numeracy skills
• Poor English language skills
• Poor digital skills and/or lack of access to digital device and internet access
• Difficulty understanding and processing new information or instructions
• Poor memory
• Limited ability to problem-solve or make decisions

Please tell us about your view on the use of these factors by answering the following question.

Reasonable adjustments to the services we provide. Where possible, we will aim to make reasonable adjustments to the services we provide. The following is a non-exhaustive list of examples:

• Allow more time than we would usually for someone to provide information that we need (it may not always be possible for us to provide additional time to customers if there are time sensitive or legal deadlines to meet).
• Provide specialist equipment e.g. aids and adaptations.
• Offer face to face contact and a named point of contact.
• Provide additional support such language interpreters.
• Allow more time for meetings and face to face interviews, with breaks as required.
• Change the location or the time when meetings take place.
• Offer information in different formats.
• Agree with customers how they wish us to contact them, e.g. phone calls only or prefer not to receive emails.
• Agree for the customer to be supported by another person in the meeting or visit.
• Make alternative arrangements for a customer who is not able to read
• Offer to make appropriate referrals to agencies who may provide specialist help and support

Please help us shape the policy by responding to the statement below.

Anti-social behaviour and crime. We recognise that some tenants who commit serious anti-social behaviour or crime may experience significant vulnerabilities. Where it is safe and appropriate to do so we will offer the tenant the opportunity to engage in support to change their behaviour. 

Please indicate if you agree or disagree with the following statement.