Sunderland City Council is to allocate £724,000 to help people with learning difficulties or autism carry out adaptions to their homes when they are discharged from hospital.
The allocation will fund grants to registered housing providers to adapt homes to help provide long-term care and prevent repeat hospital stays.
Work to be carried out includes changing door locks, refurbishing bathrooms and installing bespoke fixtures during the development of new build properties.
The scheme was backed by the local authority’s cabinet this week.
'There is a need to ensure that people with a learning disability have access to the right type of housing with the right care and support so that they can live safe, happy and independent lives in their local communities', states a report presented to councillors.
Deputy Leader of Sunderland City Council and Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing and Community Safety, Cllr Kelly Chequer said: ‘As a council we have social, moral and statutory duties to help ensure that people with a learning disability have access to the right type of housing with the right care and support.
‘This is so they can live safe, happy and independent lives in their local communities'.