‘Majority’ Of Homes Are Inaccessible For Wheelchair Users

A new report has revealed that the majority of homes in the UK are hard for wheelchair users to access, with just 21 per cent saying that a wheelchair user would reasonably be able to access all parts of the house.

Commissioned by Habinteg, the YouGov poll found that 69 per cent of those asked confirmed that this would not be possible in their current homes. The typical reasons for inaccessibility were found to be steps into the front door, bathrooms upstairs and the width of doors going into and around the house.

“We are calling on the government to urgently change national policy to ensure all new homes are built to accessible and adaptable standards. This was promised by former Prime Minister Theresa May in July as part of a new consultation, and we now need the new PM to honour that pledge,” Habinteg CEO Sheron Carter said.

The study came after it was found that 23 per cent of new properties outside London are planned to be accessible, despite the fact that the UK has rapidly ageing population.

And further research by the University of Stirling, the Horizon Housing Association and Housing Options Scotland also recently revealed that disabled people are finding it hard to access suitable homes to buy, so much so in fact that they’re experiencing mental and emotional distress as a result.

Professor Isobel Anderson, lead author of the study, issued a call for equal housing opportunities and rights to accessible properties that “ensure and protect their human rights”.

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