Accessibility Feature
Safety & Regulation
Flexible & functional
Stuart Reynolds of AKW discusses how social landlords can build flexibility into their housing stock for both able and disabled tenants
and Human Rights Commission report demand for accessible housing is increasing, with insufficient supply across all tenure types. It’s therefore imperative that housing associations and social landlords ensure they include bathrooms suitable for all possible tenants.
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INCREASED DEMAND FOR ACCESSIBLE HOUSING In the social rented sector in England alone, the total of tenants aged over 55 living in social housing is projected to increase from 1.6 million to over 2.2 million by 2035 (if social housing maintains its current share of the housing market). In addition, disabled people are twice as likely as non-disabled people to be social housing tenants and almost half (48.5 per cent) of all social rented households have at least one person whose illness or disability limits their activities. This is much higher than other tenures. With this in mind, in the next 10-20 years, many more older and disabled
people living in private rented properties, or homeowners with insufficient equity, will need to try and find more suitable, adapted accommodation. Inevitably, many of these will apply for social housing, putting further significant pressure on housing managers.
major piece of research by the Smith Institute forecasts that by 2034 there will be 170,000 more residents with mobility problems living in housing association properties. In addition, according to an Equality
TAKING A DIFFERENT APPROACH TO MAKING HOUSING STOCK ACCESSIBLE According to the Equality and Human Right’s Commission, there are some local authorities who are leading the charge for accessible housing provision by putting disabled people’s needs at the heart of planning, and reaping the benefits. But they are the exception rather than the rule. For the majority of local authorities and housing associations, the challenge is how to refurbish and renew ageing adaptations and equipment while they still have available budgets. This short-term investment is offset by the long-term savings in maintenance costs for sizeable pieces of kit such as stairlifts. Manufacturers are responding well to this, offering a wide range of
cost-effective home adaptation solutions. Companies such as AKW offer detailed advice to OT’s specifying particular pieces of equipment and have an experienced technical support team on hand to advise OT’s, local authorities and housing associations on technical support, services, level access showering solutions and accessible kitchens.
THE ACCESSIBLE BATHROOM DILEMMA Although a level access showering room enables those with mobility issues to maintain their independence and promotes long-term safety, this type of bathroom can cause difficulties when general-needs accommodation is re-let
www.housingmmonline.co.uk | HMM June/July 2019 | 43
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