The Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (LUHC) Committee has launched an online survey for its inquiry looking at what the government can do to ensure disabled people have access to accessible and adaptable housing in England.
The survey is designed to gather disabled people’s views and experiences of finding or adapting suitable housing and includes questions relating to finding or adapting suitable housing, what more could be done to support disabled people to access suitable housing, and the experience of applying for the Disabled Facilities Grant.
The closing date for responses is Thursday 15 February.
- Take part in the online survey
- Inquiry: Disabled people in the housing sector
- Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Committee
Tom Reynolds, Chief Executive of the BMA, recently published a video explaining what the Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) is and the pressing need for increased funding. The extra funding required is crucial to meeting the needs of disabled individuals who require bathroom adaptations in the home, which are key for accessibility and independence.
The DFG video can be viewed on the BMA YouTube Channel.
Chair comment
Clive Betts, Chair of the Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Committee, said: “We have received a wealth of written evidence submissions for our inquiry but I hope this survey will help us hear directly from disabled people on their views and experiences of finding or adapting suitable housing.
“In this inquiry we want to examine what the Government can do to ensure disabled residents have access to accessible and adaptable housing in England and how far the planning system is helping to deliver suitable homes.
“We’ll be hearing from a range of witnesses in the coming months and putting questions to the Minister to explore what Government, local councils and developers can do to deliver suitable housing for disabled people and what can be done to support disabled tenants in the private rented sector in England.”
The inquiry is examining the role of the government, local councils, and developers in ensuring the delivery of suitable housing for disabled people and what the government can do to support disabled tenants in the private rented sector in England.
The Committee is also looking at the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and whether it ensures housebuilding complies with the Equality Act 2010.
The Committee will be publishing the written evidence submissions for this inquiry later this month, with public evidence sessions due to begin in early February.
The inquiry will be examining the progress made since the publication of the findings (in July 2022) of the government’s consultation titled ‘Raising accessibility standards for new homes’.
Key questions for the inquiry are included in the full terms of reference.
The Committee will also be looking at how far the government can ensure it provides provision to support disabled residents who do not live in new build homes and whether the Disabled Facilities Grant supports housing adaptations.