Who cares about accessible housing?

Finding a home that meets your needs should not be a monumental task, yet for many disabled people, it's a frustrating and often demoralising journey. The government's stated desire for people to live in homes suitable for their needs feels disconnected from the reality on the ground. The lack of readily available, accessible housing forces many to live in unsafe or unsuitable conditions, despite laws and policies being in place to prevent this.

In an email I wrote to my MP Lucy Powell, I asked how many of the 1.5 million homes built in the UK are planned to be wheelchair accessible?

Keir Starmer is talking lots currently about the 1.5 millions homes. In doing so though, he is not talking to the whole population and excluding some of us.

Rushanara Ali MP, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Homelessness and Democracy answered my local MP, Lucy Powell, regarding my personal experience and the question I set.

The letter acknowledged the difficulties I had faced and outlined various government policies aimed at addressing this issue. For example, the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) encourages local authorities to assess the need for housing for different groups, including people with disabilities, and to reflect this in their local plans. Furthermore, the National Design Guide (NDG) reminds local authorities that well-designed neighbourhoods should offer a variety of homes to suit all needs. Despite these policies, the struggle to find suitable housing persists and no figures were mentioned.

The words used in this letter indicated to me that this is something that has not been thought of or planned for.

The government's response also mentioned the Disability Facilities Grant as a potential option for adapting a home to meet a disabled person's requirements. While this grant is an important resource, it doesn't solve the fundamental problem of the shortage of accessible homes. The process can also be incredibly slow, with people in areas like Manchester facing waits of up to two and a half years before the grant is approved and work can begin. This extended waiting period leaves people in unsuitable homes for years.

I was surprised that Lucy Powell MP did not apologise to me that this is not being offered in Manchester currently due to the waiting times. Instead she sad this would be useful for me to look at. Does she not know the waiting times and issues faced in her own consituency?

Many are still living in temporary accommodation, which, although legally required to be suitable for a household's needs, often falls short. The homelessness code of guidance for local authorities specifies that accommodation should consider the suitability for households with particular medical or physical needs. However, this isn't always the case, and many find themselves in housing that isn't truly safe or accessible. While there is a right to request a review of homelessness decisions and even complain to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman, these are reactive measures.

Lucy offered to look at my situation and to try and resolve this for me. I replied saying that for many disabled people, we want broken systems fixed for all and that I don't want to leapfrog anyone else in need.

The real solution lies in proactive change. We need to see these policies translated into tangible action with more homes built with accessibility as a core consideration from the outset. The current system of relying on grants and appeals for unsuitable housing is not enough. It's time to create a housing market that genuinely serves the needs of all its citizens. I've asked for a commitment on the number of accessible homes that will be built within the 1.5 million.