Select Committee on Office of the Deputy Prime Minister: Housing, Planning, Local Government and the Regions Written Evidence


Memorandum by Care & Repair England (DEC 63)

1.  CARE & REPAIR ENGLAND

  1.1.  Care & Repair England is a national charity established in 1986 to improve the housing and living conditions of older and disabled people.

  1.2.  Its aim is to innovate, develop, promote and support housing policies and initiatives which enable older and disabled people to live independently in their homes for as long as they wish.

  1.3.  The interconnection of housing, health and social care has been at the forefront of Care & Repair England's work. A major part of the wider remit of the charity has been to champion joint initiatives between housing, health and social services at a local service delivery level.

2.  THIS EVIDENCE

  2.1.  The aim of this evidence is to highlight one specific aspect of the application of the Decent Homes Standard—the need to ensure that the "livability" of homes is being enhanced by improvements being undertaken to the housing stock through the application of the Decent Homes Standard.

  2.2.  By "livability" we are referring to the incorporation of features in housing which facilitate independent living by people with disabilities, and reduce limiting and hazardous design aspects.

3.  DECENT HOMES FOR DECENT LIVES—ENHANCING INDEPENDENCE FOR OLDER AND DISABLED PEOPLE THROUGH THE DECENT HOMES STANDARD

  3.1.  More than two in five social households include a member with a disability or long term illness (MORI/Housing Corporation 2001) and the average age of the occupants of social rented housing is higher than the average for the population as a whole.

  3.2.  Ninety per cent of all older people live in the general housing stock, and current health and social care policies place great emphasis on enabling older and disabled people to live independently in that general housing for as long as possible.

  3.3.  Falls and accidents in the home are a major cause of death and serious injury. The government is committed through various programmes to reducing accidents and falls. The modification of the Decent Homes Standard could contribute to achieving such improvements.

  3.4.  Lifetime Homes criteria and Part M standards are welcome attempts to look to the needs of the future. However, there are certain aspects which limit their potential and scope.

  3.5.  Their application is primarily targeted at new-build schemes but the turnover of housing stock in Britain is very slow (around 0.6%). More could be achieved if there was also a requirement to improve accessibility and related features on refurbishment, including major programmes to bring housing stock up to the Decent Homes Standard.

  3.6.  Bathing requirements account for a sizeable number of Disabled Facilities Grant applications (estimates range from 30% to 51%). In many cases a shower is installed as an alternative to a bath in order to enable people to continue to bathe independently. A long-term vision to provide all homes with a shower alternative might be something to aim for. A more limited alternative would be that, where a major programme of bathroom refurbishment is being undertaken as part of the implementation of the Decent Homes Standard, householders could be offered the option of installation of a shower rather than a bath, or as a very minimum, grab rails and handrails could be installed at the same time as a new bathroom suite is being fitted in order to improve safety standards.

  The current major improvements being undertaken to housing through the implementation of the Decent Homes Standard provides a unique opportunity to improve the quality of the housing stock in a way that enhances the ability of older and disabled people to live safely and independently in the general housing stock.

4.  EXAMPLES TO ILLUSTRATE THE POTENTIAL IMPROVEMENTS TO CURRENT APPLICATION OF THE DECENT HOMES STANDARD

  4.1.  As the following actual examples from around England demonstrate, there is a great deal that could be achieved within the existing programme of application of the Decent Homes Standard with little or no additional expenditure.

  4.2.  The majority of improvement programmes underway in the social housing stock include replacement of doors and windows, rewiring, installation of central heating, replacement of kitchens and bathrooms.

  4.3.  With minor changes to the specifications for these improvements the quality of life for many older and disabled people would be greatly improved, hazards and risks would be reduced and independence enhanced.

  Mrs A is 75 and has lived in the same LA house on a large council estate for 42 years. The house was recently improved through the installation of UPVC double glazed windows, new UPVC doors and the installation of central heating.

  Since these improvement were completed Mrs A has tripped up a number of times, so far without serious injury, over both the front and rear thresholds where there is now an additional UPVC bar of c.8cm on top of an existing 15cm step.

  All new window frames incorporate locking mechanisms, including use of a small key and also necessitating use of two hands to turn a handle and press down a small catch in order to open the window. Because of arthritis, Mrs A has limited dexterity and can no longer open many of her windows. To open the kitchen window, she has to climb on a work surface and struggles to open even a side window.

  Mrs A has experienced considerable difficulties with the use of the controls of the central heating system. The main control unit is difficult for her to understand and also (again because of the dexterity issue) hard for her to adjust. Thermostats on the radiators have been positioned at the base of the radiator making it difficult for her to reach them.

  Mr and Mrs C are in their 80's. Mrs C is a wheelchair user and her husband is her carer. They live in a LA sheltered housing scheme.

  This housing scheme was recently refurbished, with the installation of new UPVC doors and windows. Where there was previously level access for the wheelchair, the main exit door from the sheltered housing scheme now has a UPVC threshold. Mr C has had to make his own wooden ramps to enable him to get the wheelchair in and out of the building.

5.  MAIN PROPOSAL

  5.1.  Major refurbishment of existing stock offers a chance to address accessibility issues in a more comprehensive way than can be achieved either by new-build standards or by individualised adaptations. The level of investment represented by applying the Decent Homes Standard and developing the Sustainable Communities Plan thus present a unique opportunity through which to "future-proof" Britain's housing stock. Accessibility issues are currently missing from these agendas.

  5.2.  Our proposal is that all specifications for programmes of improvement to properties as part of compliance with Decent Homes Standard should be vetted by an occupational therapist in order to ensure that minimal standards are adhered to with regard to improving accessibility and livability standards including:

    —  Installation of new doors which do not have an additional threshold which thereby introduces greater falls hazards.

    —  Installation of new UPVC windows which only have security mechanisms that are easy to operate by people with limited dexterity.

    —  Location of windows only where it is not necessary for people to climb onto work surfaces or chairs to reach window locks.

    —  Specification of heating control units which are easy to use by people with limited dexterity and other common disabilities, such as sight limitation.

    —  Location of radiator thermostats in a more accessible position.

    —  Improved location of electrical sockets and lighting controls.

    —  Screening specification in order to remove design features which can increase the risk of falls and accidents.

    —  Bathroom improvements which give the option of a shower installation and/or grab rails.

    —  Bathroom and kitchen improvements which are specified to incorporate enabling design features such as easy to turn taps.

  Encompassing accessibility issues in the guidance on implementing "decent homes" would be an important step forward in improving the housing stock to meet the needs of growing numbers of older and disabled people.


 
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