Give priority to disabled people’s housing needs
Thousands of disabled Scots left without decent homes due to government failings
IT IS a hidden crisis. Thousands of disabled Scots are being condemned to a life of misery and danger because their homes are not adapted to their needs.
The Equality and Human Rights Commission’s inquiry into housing for the disabled has uncovered a world of poor housing, unsuitable accommodation and bad adaptations that leave some of the most vulnerable people in society with no security or dignity in their own homes.
The report shames us all and the blame falls on both local and national government.
There is a national housebuilding programme but it has to take into account the needs of the disabled.
More homes have to be accessible and planned to meet the needs and rising demands of disabled people.
Officials at the delivery end of housing and social work have to do more to take into account Scotland’s diverse population.
But the housing needs of the disabled population have to be addressed at the very top.
THOUSANDS are being forced of disabled to live Scots in unsuitable Government homes and council because failings, of watchdogs have found.
The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) described the situation as a “hidden crisis”.
They said a lack of accessible accommodation for disabled people is causing untold misery.
John Wilkes, head of the EHRC in Scotland, said: “During our inquiry, we heard many stories of people unable to leave their homes, restricted to eating, sleeping and bathing in one room and loved ones risking their own health to carry family members upstairs or between rooms.
“The effect of this cannot be understated.
“It impacts on every aspect of a disabled person’s life, their ability to participate in family life, to work, to access education and social life, as well as their dignity, health and well-being.”
The report said 61,000 Scots are waiting for adaptations to their homes.
A further 15,000 wheelchair users are poorly housed.
The EHCR blamed Scottish Government policy and local government inaction.
The report calls on Nicola Sturgeon’s Government to produce a national strategy to ensure an adequate supply of houses built to inclusive design standards.
The watchdogs want at least 10 per cent of all new housing built to accessible homes standards.
The report, published today, also calls for a review of the way building standards are enforced.
The inquiry, which was conducted across the UK, found that disabled people living in inaccessible houses were four times less likely to be in
work than those in proper housing. Simple adaptations such as handrails, low-level baths and hoists can make huge differences to disabled people’s ability to live independently. But lengthy delays in installing such adapatations are common, say EHCR. The report said “poor planning” is part of the problem. Only a quarter of Scottish councils said they had accurate information about disabled people’s housing needs. With 50,000 affordable homes now being built, Wilkes said: “We could resolve the problem for all of Scotland’s wheelchair users if these houses were built to accessible standards.” He added: “If we don’t act now, we are simply storing up trouble for future
generations. We estimate that demand for wheelchair accessible homes will rise by 80 per cent in the next five years.
“Building accessible housing is far cheaper than keeping people in care homes or hospitals as we do just now simply because there is nowhere for them to live.”
The EHRC called for an accessible housing register to alert diabled people when adaptable housing becomes available.
Disability charity Inclusion Scotland welcomed the ECHR report.
Heather Fisken, manager of Independent Living in Scotland, who are part of the charity, said: “Living in inaccessible housing can mean not getting outside at all or only rarely, or even being forced to move to a care home.
“Without urgent policy change and investment, the situation is set to get worse as the population ages and housing stocks depreciate.”
SNP Housing Minister Kevin Stewart said: “Everyone should have a home that meets their needs.
“We are taking action to ensure everyone has access to a home that is the right size, in the right location or flexible enough to suit requirements they may have in the future.
“We are working with health and social care partnerships, disability organisations and the housing sector to ensure those in need of any adaptations to their home can access those services as and when they need them.
“We are refreshing the Local Housing Strategy guidance to make sure realistic targets are set at local level for the supply of wheelchair housing.”