New Homes ‘Need Higher Accessibility Standards’

A new factsheet launched earlier this month by Age UK and Habinteg is calling for all new homes in the UK to be constructed to higher accessibility standards.

The organisations have pointed out that a lot more needs to be done to ensure that the country’s disabled people and those with mobility problems are catered for by the UK’s housing stock and aren’t forced to live in unsuitable properties where they have to make do.

Age UK noted that there are 13.9 million disabled people in the UK and a further 6.5 million people with mobility problems.

With the government focusing on increasing the amount of housing available in the UK and planning to build one million new homes by the end of 2020, the charity believes this is the ideal opportunity to tackle many of the issues with accessibility and future-proof part of the country’s housing stock.

Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK, commented: “A well designed home can work across a whole lifetime or for any generation, so it just makes common sense to make sure that all new homes are accessible, flexible and adaptable.”

If you’re looking for ways to make your property more accessible, a good place to start is with the bathroom. Fitting easy access showers can make a real difference and make the bathroom safer too.

Other steps you can take to make your bathroom safer as you get older include fitting a seat to raise the height of the toilet seat and installing grab bars in the shower. Looking at simple things like removing any obstacles or trip hazards at ground level, like a bath mat, is also advisable.