‘Housing adaptation system is complicated, too slow and unfair’

THE housing adaptation system in Wales is “complicated, reactive and unfair” and is not delivering for all those who need it, says the Auditor General.

Currently there are 70 agencies delivering housing adaptation services across the country, helping more than 32,000 people a year gain access to stair lifts, hand rails and other aids.

Public bodies with responsibility for adaptations include local authorities, housing associations and Care and Repair agencies.

Annually more than £60m of public money is spent on these services to help older and disabled people retain their dignity and independence.

Welsh Government projections anticipate that the number of people who will experience mobility problems and difficulties undertaking daily domestic tasks will increase significantly in the next 20 years.

But Auditor General for Wales Huw Vaughan-Thomas has concluded that the current system needs to change to better meet the needs of these people.

He found that many people face major delays in getting the vital equipment they need because assessment processes are “not streamlined or efficient”. In some cases, he said, these delays can prove the difference between a person staying in their own home or moving into specialist care.

Mr Vaughan-Thomas also warned that health professionals are often put off trying to access adaptation services for their patients due to the system being “too difficult to navigate”.

And he said there is not enough joined-up working between agencies and local authorities, which leads to further confusion and delay.

He said: “Demand for housing adaptations is projected to rise. That’s why it’s so important that public bodies improve how they deliver adaptations and address the many weaknesses in the current complicated and inefficient system.

“My recommendations are aimed at helping kick-start much-needed improvement.”

In response to the report, a Welsh Government spokesman said: “We are working to make it quicker and easier for people to secure helpful adaptations.

“We are collecting data to help us to understand how we can streamline this process.”