Memorandum by Scope (AH 43)
1. INTRODUCTION
Scope the national disability organisation welcomes
the opportunity to provide a response to the ODPM Consultation
on Affordability and Supply of Housing Consultation.
Scope's current "Time to Get Equal"
campaign aims to raise awareness of the problems and barriers
disabled people face in their everyday lives and this includes
barriers to disabled people accessing appropriate housing. As
well as campaigning and policy work, Scope also provides direct
services to disabled people. These services include residential
care units which we are in the process of developing and re-provisioning,
in order to provide independent living opportunities. Our ultimate
goal is that all disabled people will have the options to live
where they want to live and have the opportunity to move to locations
of their choosing.
Scope recognises that disabled people's equality
can only be achieved when they live alongside their non-disabled
peers, in the community, with all necessary supports to participate
equally in community life.
We hope that the recommendations we make in
this report it will go some way to meeting the Government"s
measures as laid out in the "Improving Life Chances"[104]
strategy and provide a significant step towards tackling inequality
and discrimination faced by millions of disabled people in Britain
today.
As a body whose primary area of expertise is
in the area of disability this response will focus on the requirements
of disabled people accessing affordable housing, but it's important
to realise that any improvements on the availability of affordable
housing will impact positively on other areas or groups that may
be affected by the issues laid out in this series of housing enquiries.
However we specifically want to highlight some
of the key additional issues for disabled people wishing to make
private housing work for them:
— The lack of clear and accessible
info about adapted properties;
— The need for an adapted housing register
that can be accessed by disabled people;
— Discriminatory practices within the
banking & mortgage industry; and
— The current DFG system (means tested
for adults, overly bureaucratic and controlled by "professionals").
2. INDEPENDENT
LIVING AND
HOUSING
2.1 Scope believes that in responding to
this consultation that it is important to set the discussion concerning
affordability and housing supply in an independent living context.
In that current Government policy with regard to social and health
care alongside the "Improving the Life Chances of Disabled
People" cannot be delivered on without a recognition to the
disablist nature of the current homeownership market.
That "disablism"[105]
which is prevalent in the options open to disabled people when
seeking genuine choice and control over where they live must be
tackled if the homeownership market is a viable option for all
citizens.
2.2 Once people are placed in residential
care they often have little or no further contact with the funding
authority, particularly if they are placed out of the local authority
area. This was the situation for one of the disabled people we
consulted who wanted to move out of residential care into their
own homes, but were unable to because "social services won't
meet the cost". John Grooms Housing Association has estimated
a countrywide shortfall of 300,000 wheelchair accessible homes.
2.3 The need for inclusive, accessible and
affordable housing is growing as the population ages. This is
not an issue of interest only to a small minority. The 10 million
disabled people in Great Britain represent one in five of the
adult population. There are also about 700,000 disabled children
In Great Britain.
2.4 Scope has been calling for greater affordable
and accessible housing since 1996 when it launched its "Scope
for Fair Housing"[106]
campaign. This time limited campaign highlighted the barriers
to independent living faced by disabled people who require both
accessible housing and support—these cornerstones to independent
living are no different in the home ownership bracket to those
living in social housing or private rented accommodation.
2.5 The extent to which home purchase tackles
social and economic inequalities and reduces poverty can clearly
be demonstrated by looking at home buying as investment. Additional
costs faced by disabled people in everyday life, that relate to
disability are on rarely recognised and so therefore many disabled
people have to find these costs themselves. These are costs which
if recognised, would be significantly reduced if the barriers
to disabled people"s equal participation were removed.
3. PLANNING NEW
DEVELOPMENTS
3.1 There are many other factors influencing
the affordability of housing for sale including construction methods.
Because of this we would like to see legislation that requires
that land released for housing development MUST be near to or
easily connected to public transport infrastructure. Also, that
land released should be in close proximity to essential services,
shops and facilities, or if not that these elements should be
contained within the development proposals with guarantees from
the relevant stakeholders that they will be in place, before planning
permission is granted.
3.2. The Disability Discrimination Act 1995
has been amended by the Disability Discrimination Act 2005. It
extends Part III of the DDA to require public bodies not to discriminate
against disabled people in the exercise of their public functions.
Planning decisions will be subject to a requirement not to discriminate
against disabled people and must involve disabled people at the
planning stage both of new developments and refurbishments.
4. SUPPLY AND
DEMAND
4.1 There is a need to address the regional
disparities in the supply and demand for housing and how they
might be tackled. It is vitally important to increase the supply
of private "lifetime" housing alongside social housing
because disabled people should have the option to become homeowners.
4.2 Accessible housing, across all types,
sizes and tenure is vital to supporting independent living options
for disabled people in Britain. For many disabled people the current
lack of accessible housing severely limits independence, geographical
mobility and employment
4.3 In addition to the accessibility of
the property itself, other factors such as the availability of
public transport, parking, proximity of local services and connections
to employment opportunities are all extremely important if we
are to create "Sustainable and Inclusive Communities",
that include disabled people.
5. REALISTIC
CHANGES IN
POLICIES AND
PRACTICE—KEY
ISSUES
Our response will focus on the issues detailed
in the ODPM press notice PN04. We particularly want the Government
to address some of the key issues for disabled people wishing
to buy a property. The four key areas are as follows:
5.1 Information and signposting—there
is currently a lack of clear and accessible info about adapted
properties—and we would like to see the government introduce
an incentive scheme for Estate Agents where they hold onto adapted
properties for longer and receive training to be more aware about
the housing needs of disabled people in the private market.
RECOMMENDATIONS
We ask that the Government ensure local authorities
adopt a uniform and consistent approach to the provision of information
to local disabled people as they try and access the private housing
market. Local authorities should also make the DFG process less
bureaucratic and more person-centred in its approach. The DFG
means test should be removed and the DFG should become a true
mandatory grant for disabled people to make essential adaptations.
5.2 Private Housing Register—There
is a need for some kind of adapted housing register that can be
accessed by disabled people and would aid disabled people in finding
properties far more quickly and help them remain financially viable
within the housing market - as buying becomes far more difficult
for disabled people if they struggle to find suitable housing.
One possibility could be for local authorities to work with Estate
Agents in developing a register of adapted housing for disabled
people in the private housing market.
There are a number of good examples in Scotland,
at the Glasgow Centre for Integrated Living, where a register
is kept of adapted properties. The register has meant that disabled
people are able to be matched with properties appropriately adapted
to meet their needs. Therefore reducing the cost of re-adapting
properties or indeed the examples where expensive adaptions are
removed from properties thus reducing the overall numbers of accessible
properties on the market. These examples are unfortunately only
operating within the social housing market currently but, there
is much to be learned from their successes and certainly good
practice that could be applied to the private housing sector.
RECOMMENDATIONS
We ask that the Government set out plans to
support the development of a national accessible housing register.
Although not as relevant in the private housing market, as it's
hard to put restrictions onto home owners and what they may or
may not do to their properties, Estate Agents could be asked to
work with local authorities in developing a register of adapted
housing for disabled people in the private housing market.
The need for some kind of adapted housing register
that can be accessed by disabled people would aid disabled people
in finding properties far more quickly and help them remain financially
viable within the housing market—as buying becomes far more
difficult for disabled people as they cannot find suitable housing
and so they risk depreciation and a downturn in the value of their
properties.
5.3 Removing discrimination—disabled
people experience discrimination from those businesses operating
within the banking and mortgage industry and clearly more stringent
protection is required for disabled people as they try to enter
the housing market. The financial security home ownership can
give to those individuals who purchase properties is well documented
and it is unacceptable that for most disabled people this is an
option that is still out of reach. Disabled people need equal
access to banking facilities and opportunities to enter the homebuyers
market "I didn't qualify for a Disabled Facilities Grant,
and then the Building Society refused me a loan. I needed to adapt
the house so I could live in it . . . at the time I was desperate
and I ended up borrowing money from a loan shark . . . When I
look back it was a stupid thing to do." (disabled person,
London)
RECOMMENDATIONS
We ask that the Government adopt a uniform and
consistent approach to ensuring that the mortgage and banking
industry are properly regulated. The Government must, if it is
serious in increasing the numbers of homeowners across Britain,
recognise the disablism that exists within the current home buying
process and therefore investigate ways in which home buying can
become a more realistic option for disabled people.
5.4 Statutory financial support—entering
the housing market should not mean an end to the statutory financial
support available to disabled people. Even when being fully employed
or entering employment, disabled people's disposable income is
significantly less because of the additional costs related to
disability. We are therefore calling for an overhaul of Disabled
Facilities Grant (DFG) system which is currently over bureaucratic,
inflexible and prohibitive. A more flexible and person-centred
DFG process would ultimately provide many more disabled people
with the financial means to adapt their properties. We are also
calling for the end to the DFG means test.
RECOMMENDATIONS
We ask that the Government make available at
least double the £99 million DFG budget for essential adaptations.
Twenty per cent of the allocation relies on
assessment of performance by the Government Offices for the Regions.
This restriction has to be taken away as it denies no one else
but disabled people themselves. Disabled people should not face
the additional burden of sanctions against local authority negligence.
Shortage of Occupational Therapists means delays
in assessments and many disabled people are left waiting for an
unacceptable length of time for their applications to be processed
or for the adaptations to be carried out.
The DFG process should be less "healthcare
professional" controlled and disabled people more involved
in how the process is delivered. A more person centred approach
to DFGs is a key Scope recommendation
A Programme of Awareness of DFGs is needed particularly
with regard to how to apply for grants.
Disabled Facilities Grants need to be considered in
relation to delayed hospital discharge and associated issues,
including minor adaptations.
6. CONCLUSION
6.1 We look forward to responding to the
ODPMs further housing inquiries. Specifically the role of shared
ownership schemes in meeting demand for homeownership and helping
tackle the housing needs of disabled people. In this area we feel
there is an opportunity for the Government to better target appropriate
groups and to expending the notion of key worker status amongst
disabled people or of ensuring disabled people are afforded similar
opportunities to those considered as key workers. We would welcome
greater opportunity within the shared ownership scheme—as
these schemes have been shown to work for disabled people. Considering
the fact that shared ownership is offered through housing association
opportunities and that new build housing association properties
are offering significant levels of accessible and affordable housing
options, which just is not available to disabled people in the
private housing market. It is our view that shared ownership schemes
do offer value for money and disabled people, even in the homebuyer
market should be able to buy into it if it were an easier option
than trying to find a new home to buy out with the joint ownership
scheme.
6.2 The Government must make a long term
contribution to meeting housing needs and aspirations of disabled
people all new housing should be designed to "Lifetime Homes"
standard to allow a more a sustainable future for properties and
their occupants, due to the greater integral flexibility offered
by the design.
6.3 In the short term it's essential that
any improved system for increasing housing affordability and supply
should be replicated at regional and local level to enable authorities
to much more precisely meet the demand for appropriately designed
and located housing available for disabled people.
6.4 In the long term the ODPM should also
introduce long tem monitoring and evaluation of the national housing
needs of disabled people across all property types.
104 Improving the Life Chances of Disabled People,
Prime Minister"s Strategy Unit, 2005. Back
105
Disablism: how to tackle the last prejudice by Paul Miller, Sophia
Parker and Sarah Gillinson, Central Books (ISBN: 1 84180 124 0)
Disablism n. discriminatory, oppressive or abusive behaviour arising
from the belief that disabled people are inferior to others (although
you won"t find a definition in a dictionary). Back
106
More Scope for Fair Housing, Esmond, Gordon, McCaskie, Stewart,
Scope 1998. Back
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