Imagine planning your entire day around whether you can get through a doorway. For millions of disabled people in the UK, that’s everyday life
Only 7% of homes in the UK have even basic accessibility features. So for most people who use wheelchairs, walking aids, or adaptive equipment, house hunting isn’t just tricky – it’s nearly impossible.
Tanvi Vyas MBE, a disability equality consultant and powerchair user, had a positive experience while living in accessible halls at university. However, after graduation, she and her husband tried to find a home they could adapt to suit Tanvi’s needs. They soon discovered nothing was straightforward. “Accessible, adapted, and adaptable housing was extremely difficult to find,” reveals Tanvi, “even when we were open to converting or extending.”
DESIGN FLAWS
Although they eventually found and bought a bungalow, the challenges didn’t stop there. Tanvi had assumed she’d qualify for the Disabled Facilities Grant to help pay towards the adaptations she needed for her new home. Instead, she was offered “strip washes and meals on wheels to combat the inaccessibility of the home,” she explains, exasperated.
“I was about to get married and was terrified this was what my future held,” admits Tanvi. “I’d previously had a taste of what good accessible housing could look like. I knew it was physically possible. But developers hadn’t really considered its benefits to the wider community.”
Tanvi and her husband lived in her parents’ dining room for three years while they fought to get planning permission, dealt with delays, and saved up to make their home truly accessible: “It was a very stressful time, but it was worth it in the end.”
HOUSING FOR ALL
Accessible housing might seem unnecessary, or be treated as an afterthought, since it affects only a small portion of the population. But it’s crucial – we’re talking about independence, health, and dignity. “The impact accessibility has on disabled people and our friends, family, and colleagues is enormous,” adds Tanvi. “It affects us physically, mentally, and emotionally.”
It also has an impact on wider society. If we don’t design homes that can be adapted, more disabled people will be pushed into care, become isolated, or rely on already overworked health and social services. This is expensive, unsustainable, and preventable.
The Building Research Establishment says the NHS could save over a billion pounds per year if more people lived in homes that prevented injuries and long-term health issues. Better housing doesn’t just help disabled people; it helps everyone.
ACCESS DENIED
So why isn’t the issue being fixed? Well, there’s no law that says new homes in England must be accessible. Some local authorities set higher standards, but most developers get away with building homes that aren’t adaptable without major renovations. That’s if they can be adapted at all.
Tanvi says, as a result, housing providers aren’t futureproofing their new developments: “It’s a missed opportunity for the next generation. We need commitments to make housing more accessible, for disabled and older people, as well as those who aren’t yet disabled,” she argues. “You don’t know you need an adaptable house, level access or more circulation room until you do.”
FOREVER HOMES
While she waits for the rest of society to catch up, Tanvi has joined the Habinteg Insight Group, a collective of disabled people who campaign for better housing policies. Their message is clear: accessible housing should be the norm, not the exception.
“If more housing is accessible and adaptable, people can live in their homes longer and avoid expensive changes down the line,” points out Tanvi. “People don’t have to feel burdensome when it’s clearly the lack of suitable housing that is disabling.”
Lack of awareness is a huge part of the problem: “Once people understand that accessible housing helps everyone – not just disabled people – it’s easier to get them on board,” she concludes.
So, next time you see a new block of flats going up, ask yourself: will everyone be able to live there? If the answer is no, it’s time to ask why not, but more importantly: who’s being left out in the cold?
ACCESSIBLE HOUSING: THE FACTS
- Two thirds of British people say their homes are “no go zones” for disabled people, limiting the ability of disabled people to visit friends and family.
- Only 3% of homes in the UK have the recommended features for someone with mobility problems: level access, a flush threshold, WC at entry level and circulation space.
- 1.8 million people in the UK need an accessible home, but only 7% of homes are fully accessible. The majority of housing stock doesn’t meet the needs of people with impairments.
- It can cost up to £27,000 to adapt a M4(1) category home if the resident requires grab rail, stairlift, and wet room adaptations. Individuals could be forced to privately fund essential adaptations, or their local authority will need to pick up the bill through the Disabled Facilities Grant. These adaptations put financial strain on families and councils.
- By 2040, the number of people aged 65 and over is expected to rise to 20 million, leading to an increase in the demand for accessible homes.
TAKE ACTION
You don’t need to be an expert to help change things. Help move accessible housing further up the agenda by joining Habinteg’s Insight Group.