Everyone can benefit from living in an accessible home. So why do we build so few of them?
We desperately need more accessible homes to be built in this country but there aren’t the necessary regulations or incentives to ensure that supply comes even close to meeting demand.
Fewer than one in eight (13%) homes in England have all four accessibility features that mean they can be visited by someone with access needs. There are also huge regional variations in the proportion of homes that are accessible. This means that people with accessibility needs have a very difficult time finding properties that are right for them. And the need for accessible homes will only grow with our increasing ageing population.
Living in homes that do not meet a person’s accessibility needs can mean parts of the home cannot be used, or that the carrying out of basic everyday tasks can put residents at serious risk of injury and can also restrict how independently people can live.
The government has targeted building 1.5 million new homes in this Parliament. But there is a risk that these new homes won’t meet the needs of homeowners and renters if too little attention is given to accessibility.
Accessible and adaptable homes are essential for a fair, safe and ageing society. We urgently need greater action to ensure that more accessible and adaptable homes are built.
