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We support autistic people and people with learning disabilities to live the life they choose. To find support near you visit www.dimensions-uk.org/find-support

For 50 years, Dimensions has been supporting people with learning disabilities and autistic people to have a louder voice, choice, and control in their lives. We are a not for profit support provider voted a UK Best Workplace for 7years in a row and we are proud to be a Disability Confident Leader. If you or your family member has a learning disability or is autistic, we can help you create a tailored support package.

29/10/2026

🎃 It's time for pumpkins and parties🎃

Happy spooky season from Dimensions!

29/10/2026

"From the , no flotilla of any scale seems to sail for social care" - says Rachael Dodgson, responding to the UK Government’s Autumn Budget, delivered by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 28 October 2026.

Full statement:

"In the words of a commentator (BBC News' Chris Mason) immediately after the Autumn Budget announcement, today's budget came across as a 'flotilla of small measures.'

"Yet from the Budget, no flotilla of any scale seems to sail for social care, which collectively employs as many people in England as the .

"There are some small steps. Our workforce will welcome general measures, including the upcoming increase to both the National Minimum Wage and the National Living Wage. Additionally, outreach and domiciliary care workers will particularly welcome increases in mileage rates.

"Yet aside from today's budget announcement, we are encouraged by positive overtures towards social care from this government.

"These overtures include the government’s upcoming Fair Pay Agreement in 2028. The government needs to ensure that this Fair Pay Agreement is properly funded as well as being ring-fenced within local government budgets and passed on directly to providers.

"We also eagerly await the 's report on adult social care in summer 2027 - and we thank the government for bringing this report's publication forward by one year. We are hopeful that the report's conclusions will lead to better outcomes for people who draw on care and support, and a joined-up approach between health and social care.

"We will continue to ask government to keep adult social care among its highest priorities – to create a fairer, better society for the hundreds of thousands of adults who draw on support."

27/10/2026

We were delighted to receive this message from Sir Stephen Fry for our Learning Disability and Autism Leaders' Awards 2026, held in Bristol last week!

When he filmed this message, Sir Stephen had just finished filming The Assembly on ITV, where he was grilled by a panel of interviewers made up of people with learning disabilities, autistic people, and other neurodivergent people.

Thank you, Sir Stephen! 😍

Find the link to enter the 2027 Leaders' Awards in the comments below! 👇

23/10/2026

"Unequal access to support for adults with learning disabilities and autistic people is often accepted as routine... [it] should deeply concern us all."

That's according to our chief executive, Rachael Dodgson, responding to the Care Quality Commission's latest 197-page annual report ‘The state of health care and adult social care in England.’

Here's the full statement from Rachael:

“CQC’s finding that unequal access to support for adults with learning disabilities and autistic people is often accepted as routine should deeply concern us all. Behind those delays are people waiting for the support they need to live independently and play a full part in their local community.

“CQC's findings also highlight the urgent need for a more strategic approach to shaping the adult social care market. It is important that people's wellbeing comes before financial returns. Sustainable, high-quality support depends on commissioners and providers working together to balance financial realities with the needs, choices, and aspirations of people who draw on care and support.

“We welcome CQC's recognition that commissioning is one of the most powerful ways to improve quality, fairness, and sustainability. Too often, short-term funding decisions and repeated re-tendering undermine the stability and consistency of support, disrupting relationships that are fundamental to people's wellbeing and independence.

“CQC is right to highlight the importance of strong leadership in delivering safe, person-centred support. We know that maintaining high standards requires continuous investment in our managers and colleagues, supported by commissioning arrangements that reflect the true cost of delivering quality care.

"At Dimensions, the vast majority of our CQC inspections have resulted in a ‘Good’ overall, reflecting our commitment to quality and effective leadership.

“We are also encouraged that around 80% of people aged 14 and over on GP learning disability registers received an annual health check in the year to March 2026. However, uptake varies significantly across the country, ranging from 70% to 86% between integrated care board areas.

"Far too many people with learning disabilities also remain absent from GP registers altogether. Access to annual health checks should be consistent, regardless of where someone lives or which GP they attend. Crucially, every health check should result in a completed, accessible health action plan, with appropriate follow-up.

“CQC's central challenge to the sector is to move beyond good intentions and individual examples of good practice towards consistently well-led services that can demonstrate sustainable, personalised outcomes.

Ultimately, regulatory accountability from CQC is a key part of how adult social care makes lives better for people who draw on care and support.”

22/10/2026

Luke Aldridge, Head of Housing and Partnerships, marks the first Supported Housing Week.

"At Dimensions, we believe good supported housing starts with something simple: a person’s home should feel like their home. Having support should not mean giving up the choices, rights, privacy and independence that the rest of us expect where we live. That is why the distinction between housing and support is so important. As a landlord, our role is to provide safe, good quality homes, maintain them well and make sure tenants understand their rights and can have their voice heard. Support providers have a different role: helping people live the life they choose and achieve the things that matter to them. Those roles should be separate, but never disconnected, with housing teams, support providers, families, advocates and commissioners working together around the person.

Ultimately, good supported housing is about much more than a building or the number of hours of support someone receives. It is about having the right home, the right support and the freedom, security and opportunity to live a gloriously ordinary life. That might mean choosing how to decorate your home, having friends round, getting to know your neighbours, pursuing hobbies, going to work, relaxing in your own space or simply deciding how you want to spend your day. These things may sound ordinary, but they are what makes a home truly yours and good supported housing should help make them possible."

Dimensions is a Housing Association owning around 260 properties. Through supported living, we have over 140 contracts with local authorities, covering more than 800 supported living homes. We are also an accredited supplier to over 70 local authorities.

www.housing.org.uk/our-work/supported-housing/supported-housing-week

🏠 Read more about our homes: www.dimensions-uk.org/who-we-support/need-a-place-to-call-home
Week

21/10/2026

Congratulations to everyone who was nominated for the Learning Disability and Autism Leaders' Awards 2026!

Meet our 2026 leaders who are pushing boundaries to create better communities through volunteering, teaching, fundraising, performing and advocating.

Read more about why our judges with lived experience think they are leaders: https://www.leaderaward.co.uk

BILD - The British Institute of Learning Disabilities Mencap David Lewis MacIntyre National Care Forum Learning Disability Today Autism Alliance Learning Disability England Navigate Neurodiversity Occupational Therapy Autism Together Inclusion North Outreach 3 Way Discovery Learning Disability Support Partners In Support Brandon Trust MacIntyre in Leicester Calebs Cause NI Inclusive Teaching Matters

20/10/2026

Congratulations to the Unlocking Excellence Group from Autism Together

20/10/2026

Well done Shell!

20/10/2026

LDA Leader Chris was proud to present this year's awards to more incredible people. What a brilliant speech too.

You can watch him on our livestream recording on YouTube.

Address

Head Office: Building 1230, Arlington Business Park
Theale
RG74SA

Telephone

+443003039001

Website

http://www.dimensions-uk.org/

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