Aspire is a national charity that provides practical help to people who have been paralysed by Spinal Cord Injury; it can happen to anyone at any time and no one is prepared for how it will change their life. Aspire exists because there is currently no cure.
Aspire, who is a member of Disability Rights UK, is proposing an amendment to the Housing and Planning Bill 2015, which makes provision about housing, estate agents, rentcharges, planning and compulsory purchase. .
The amendment
To introduce a new duty on local authorities to accurately assess the level of need for wheelchair accessible homes, and set appropriate targets in their local development plans.
The purpose of the amendment
Despite the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) stating that local planning authorities should meet the housing needs of a range of social groups – including disabled people – in their local plans, this clearly isn’t happening on the scale needed. Research undertaken by Aspire in 2014 found that 24,000 wheelchair users in England are in urgent need of wheelchair accessible social or affordable housing alone; without allowing for those looking to rent or buy privately. We therefore urgently need to build more wheelchair accessible homes.
Government has introduced measures to support the building of ‘Starter Homes’ across the country, but has set no such objective for much needed wheelchair accessible housing. With the emphasis now being placed upon the development of new starter homes, the supply of new wheelchair accessible homes is likely to dwindle further and waiting times can only increase.
The importance of wheelchair accessible housing
Having a home that meets their physical needs is essential to someone with SCI and their family. Soon to be published research Aspire, undertaken by Loughborough University, compares the experiences of SCI people and their families living in adapted and unadapted housing. All quotes contained in this briefing are taken from verbatim accounts from SCI people and family members compiled during the research. We have used pseudonyms here and in the research report in order to maintain participants’ confidentiality.
The research reveals how important housing is for people with SCI as they face the prospect of being discharged from hospital, and many face significant fears.
The report, The health and wellbeing of spinal cord injured adults and the family: Examining lives in adapted and unadapted homes, shows the significant physical and psychological impact both types of accommodation have upon SCI people and their families. The evidence shows that adapted housing enables SCI adults to maintain their independence by providing them with all the adaptations necessary to take care of themselves, to be able to move freely around the home, to pursue leisure and employment opportunities, and to maintain personal dignity.
What action is needed?
It is clear that the current supply of wheelchair accessible housing isn’t meeting demand. More wheelchair accessible homes must be built. Despite the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) requiring local planning authorities to meet the housing needs of disabled people in their local plans, this clearly isn’t happening on the scale needed.
Government has introduced measures to support the building of ‘Starter Homes’ across the country, but has set no such objective for much needed wheelchair accessible housing. With the emphasis being placed upon the planning for new starter homes, the supply of wheelchair accessible homes will dwindle further and waiting times for desperate families can only increase.
The 2015 Housing and Planning Bill offers us a rare opportunity to introduce new legal duties to ensure that local planning authorities give due regard to the need for wheelchair accessible housing in their areas. Aspire wants a new duty on local authorities to accurately assess the level of need for wheelchair accessible homes, and set appropriate targets in their local development plans.
On behalf of the thousands of people in urgent need of a wheelchair accessible home for themselves and their family, Aspire urges you to support our amendments to the Housing and Planning Bill.