The Minister for Housing Robert Jenrick has launched a consultation on the accessibility of new homes.
The existing minimum standard for accessible housing in England has four main criteria: level access to the main entrance, a flush threshold, sufficiently wide doorways and circulation space, and a toilet at entrance level. This is required of all new-build homes.
The consultation is seeking views on how to raise accessible housing standards further, including the option to raise this minimum standard for all new homes. A higher minimum standard would require additional features including having a living area at entrance level and step-free access to all entrance level rooms and facilities, wider doorways and corridors as well as clear access routes to reach windows.
It would also include further features to make homes more easily adaptable over time to a wide range of occupants, including older people, those with reduced mobility and some wheelchair users, for example sanitary provisions that can be adapted easily for installation of grab rails and stairs designed to allow easy fit of a stair lift.
Read the government press release here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/jenrick-unveils-huge-12-billion-boost-for-affordable-homes
And the consultation here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/raising-accessibility-standards-for-new-homes The consultation closes on 1 December 2020.