The Breathe Easy Homes service addresses issues with indoor air quality in the home, which can trigger attacks for children who have a diagnosis of asthma or other respiratory conditions e.g. viral wheeze. Download a leaflet (PDF) here.
Housing / indoor air quality factors include cold, damp, mould, condensation and allergens such as dust mites and pet dander.
A referral to Breathe Easy Homes allows families who meet the eligibility criteria to access advice, support and equipment to reduce asthma triggers in their home.
Eligibility Criteria
To be referred a family must include a child aged 0-18 who has diagnosed respiratory issues which are triggered by home indoor air quality and a household income of £30,000 or below, and savings of less than £16,000, living in any tenure (council, housing association, private rented or owned).
Once a referral has been made, a Care & Repair Support Worker will contact the family to check eligibility and then, if appropriate, arrange a home visit.
The Home Visit
During a home visit our Support Worker will make a full assessment of the property and the family’s living conditions. We will ask questions about the child’s health and your past and present home situation so we can gather a full picture of the personal and environmental needs of the family, and the current impact of the current living conditions on the health of the child in question. The Support Worker may also monitor humidity, particulate matter, temperature and will recommend the equipment, minor adaptations, repairs and signposting requirements that might be needed to ensure all preventative options are maximised for the family. They could also consider the wider support needs for the family.
Every family we see will receive a solution that addresses their individual needs. However, it is anticipated that, through this connection made with families in need via Breathe Easy Homes, all families could also receive support to improve minor structural issues causing exacerbations such as damp and mould, as well as the provision of goods such as hypoallergenic bedding, plus advice on self help. These families will also receive immediate access/signposting to other third sector organisations and schemes where they may be eligible to receive financial support with their fuel bills and warm home initiatives (depending on the tenure).
Referral Form
Please download and complete a Breathe Easy Homes referral form here.
PLEASE NOTE: This service does not receive self referrals, referrals must come from an external agency working with the family in need of support and which meets the criteria set out on this page.
If you are an individual who would like your family to be referred for this service please contact your GP, your Hospital Asthma Specialist or your support/social worker who will do that for you. Or telephone the Care & Repair enquiries desk on 0113 2406009 / email: Carerepairleeds.homeplus@nhs.net.
