Disabled people in the housing sector

Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 24 Jul 2023 Closed: 28 May 2024 Parliament page
This inquiry will examine the role of Government, local councils and developers in ensuring the delivery of suitable housing for disabled people and what the Government can do to support disabled tenants in the private rented sector in England. The Committee will also be looking at the National Planning Policy … Read more
11 Recommendations
7 Conclusions
1 Report
2 Oral sessions
2 Letters
2 Events
Activity timeline 8 events
6 Mar
2025
Report published
24 May
2024
Report published
16 Apr
2024
Correspondence
18 Mar
2024
Oral evidence
18 Mar
2024
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Thatcher Room, Portcullis House
5 Feb
2024
Oral evidence
5 Feb
2024
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 15, Palace of Westminster
8 Nov
2023
Correspondence
Oral evidence sessions 2 sessions
18 Mar 2024
View on parliament.uk
Oral Evidence
Felicity Buchan · Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Philip White · Building Safety Regulator William Burgon · Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
5 Feb 2024
View on parliament.uk
Oral Evidence
Adrian Dobson · Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Christina McGill · HoME coalition (Housing Made for Everyone) Mikey Erhardt · Disability Rights UK Mr Timothy Douglas · Propertymark Ms Jacquel Runnalls · Royal College of Occupational Therapist’s (RCOT) Specialist Section in Housing Sam Stafford · Home Builders Federation Victor Chamberlain · Local Government Association (LGA)
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Seventh Report - Disabled people in the housing sector HC 63 24 May 2024 18 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
18 results
1 Conclusion Acknowledged
Seventh Report - Disabled people i…
Prioritise disability inclusion and address housing barriers faced by disabled people
Disabled people are not a homogeneous group with a single set of housing needs. Rather, Government policy must seek to address the many barriers which disabled individuals face, which vary widely. Too often too many disabled people are failed by … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges that disabled people should not face barriers to suitable accommodation and commits to working with local authorities and the housing sector to address key challenges, stating that ministers will ensure housing policy addresses these needs.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
View details
2 Recommendation Acknowledged
Seventh Report - Disabled people i…
Take action based on heard concerns regarding disabled people’s housing needs
We have found little evidence that the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities is fully recognising the housing needs of disabled people, let alone treating disabled people’s needs as a priority in housing policy. In particular, it is deeply … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges the challenges disabled people face regarding housing accessibility and states it intends to set out its policies on the accessibility of new homes in the near future, providing details about a necessary technical consultation at that time.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
View details
3 Conclusion Acknowledged
Seventh Report - Disabled people i…
Little progress made implementing mandatory M4(2) accessibility standard for new build homes.
We welcome the Government’s announcement that it intends to make the M4(2) accessibility standard mandatory for all new build homes. This amendment to building regulations is an important policy change which will greatly increase the availability of accessible homes for … Read more
Government Response
The government states the revised National Planning Policy Framework (published December 2024) requires local authorities to assess housing needs for disabled people, and it will set out its policies on new home accessibility 'in due course'.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
View details
4 Conclusion Deferred
Seventh Report - Disabled people i…
Delayed M4(2) technical consultation causes ongoing uncertainty for disabled people and stakeholders.
Moreover, it is unclear why the Department did not seek to launch the further ‘technical consultation’ soon after its July 2022 announcement of its M4(2) policy change. The delay to implementation continues to afflict the daily lives of thousands of … Read more
Government Response
The government deflects from the question about the delay in the M4(2) technical consultation, instead stating that local authorities are responsible for assessing housing needs and managing their stock. It rejects mandating accessible housing registers but will explore further guidance for local authorities on providing accessibility information.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
View details
5 Conclusion Deferred
Seventh Report - Disabled people i…
BSR's excessively long M4(2) consultation timeline delays implementation until spring 2025 at earliest.
The Building Safety Regulator’s (BSR) timeline to run a full technical consultation process for six months, starting on an undecided date between May and July 2024, would make it unlikely that the M4(2) baseline policy could be implemented until spring … Read more
Government Response
The government deflects from the recommendation concerning the excessively long timeline for the M4(2) technical consultation, instead focusing on the Private Rented Sector (PRS) Database being developed under the Renters’ Rights Bill to provide accessibility information for tenants.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
View details
6 Recommendation Deferred
Seventh Report - Disabled people i…
Expedite M4(2) technical consultation process by BSR and Department, publishing responses quickly.
It is imperative that the Government’s M4(2) policy commitment is now implemented as soon as possible. If this is not done, thousands of disabled people will continue to be left with their housing needs unmet. Accordingly, we recommend that: • … Read more
Government Response
The government rejects requiring local authorities to report on new builds completed to M4(2) and M4(3) standards due to imposing a new burden, and it does not address the specific recommendations to expedite the M4(2) technical consultation timeline.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
View details
7 Recommendation Rejected
Seventh Report - Disabled people i…
Mandate local authorities through NPPF to assess and plan for M4(3) wheelchair user homes.
We support the Minister for Housing and Homelessness’s call for local authorities to assess their local need for M4(3) wheelchair user standard homes. However, we do not believe that the Government’s National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) goes far enough to … Read more
Government Response
The government rejects the recommendation to require local authorities to assess local need for M4(3) wheelchair user standard homes, stating it does not intend to require this new data collection due to a commitment to reduce burdensome reporting requirements.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
View details
8 Recommendation Deferred
Seventh Report - Disabled people i…
Require local authorities to keep and publish accessibility registers for all social housing stock.
We are concerned that most local authorities do not keep a register of the accessibility of their own housing stock, despite some disabled people living in temporary accommodation for years while waiting for accessible social housing. The Government must require … Read more
Government Response
The government discusses the importance and funding of the Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) and ongoing reforms, but does not commit to requiring local authorities to keep a register of accessible housing stock, which was the core recommendation.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
View details
9 Conclusion Deferred
Seventh Report - Disabled people i…
Require landlords to include property accessibility information in the Private Rented Sector database.
The proposed new Property Portal presents a compelling opportunity to improve information about the accessibility of properties in the private rented sector. This would provide a clear benefit to disabled people. Once the Renters (Reform) Bill comes into force, the … Read more
Government Response
The government response reviews the suitability of the Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) upper limit and expects the review to conclude later in 2025, but does not address the recommendation to use the Renters (Reform) Bill to require landlords to include accessibility information in a new property portal.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
View details
10 Conclusion Deferred
Seventh Report - Disabled people i…
Require local authorities to report and publish M4(2) and M4(3) new build data annually.
We are surprised that the Department does not hold any data on the number of new builds completed to the M4(2) and M4(3) standards in England, especially given that local authorities are already required to provide data on the supply … Read more
Government Response
The government discusses local authorities' flexibility with DFG funding and means testing, and states it will continue to keep aspects of the grant under consideration, but does not address the recommendation to require data collection and publication on new homes built to M4(2) and M4(3) standards.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
View details
11 Recommendation Accepted
Seventh Report - Disabled people i…
Provide new burdens funding to local authorities for additional accessibility requirements and duties.
The Government should provide funding, in line with the new burdens doctrine, to local authorities to ensure that they can carry out these additional requirements and duties to the best of their ability. (Paragraph 43) Adapting homes: the Disabled Facilities … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges the DFG allocation formula is outdated and commits to reviewing how DFG funding is allocated to local authorities, proposing to consult on a new formula during 2025 with the aim to adopt a new approach as soon as possible.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
View details
12 Conclusion Deferred
Seventh Report - Disabled people i…
Set out full response and implementation timeline for the 2018 DFG External Review.
The Government-commissioned External Review of the Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) in 2018 made several appropriate and valuable recommendations on DFG funding, eligibility, and the delivery process, based on comprehensive evidence. It is therefore deeply disappointing that the Government has not … Read more
Government Response
The government states it continues to fund Foundations as a national body for DFGs and will work with them on guidance and accessible information, but does not provide the requested full response to the 2018 DFG External Review or a timeline for its recommendations.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
View details
13 Recommendation Deferred
Seventh Report - Disabled people i…
Review the £30,000 DFG upper limit, considering regional construction costs, and set new regional limits.
The £30,000 upper limit on individual DFG applications is sufficient to cover the cost of most DFG applications. However, the fact that the upper limit has not changed since 2008, despite recent rising construction costs, means the DFG does not … Read more
Government Response
The government outlines measures to support disabled people in the Private Rented Sector, including existing Equality Act provisions and new ones in the Renters' Rights Bill, but does not address the recommendation to review the £30,000 upper limit for individual Disabled Facilities Grants.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
View details
14 Recommendation Acknowledged
Seventh Report - Disabled people i…
Reform the DFG means test to introduce gradual tapering of personal contributions for working disabled people.
Whilst we recognise the need for the DFG means test to be a well-evidenced process, the current DFG means test is unnecessarily complex and leads many applicants to drop out of the DFG process entirely. We are also concerned that … Read more
Government Response
The government notes the recommendations, highlights local authorities' existing flexibility to address the issue, and states it will continue to keep different aspects of the DFG means test under consideration.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
View details
15 Recommendation Deferred
Seventh Report - Disabled people i…
Simplify the DFG means test by integrating assessment into a reformed social care means test.
The Government must also simplify the means test. The Government should consider including assessment for the DFG as part of a reformed social care means test, as recommended by the External Review in 2018. (Paragraph 58) 32 Disabled people in … Read more
Government Response
The government notes local authorities already have flexibility with the means test and states it will continue to keep different aspects of the Disabled Facilities Grant, including the means test, under consideration.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
View details
16 Recommendation Accepted
Seventh Report - Disabled people i…
Establish a new DFG distribution formula based on local need, population, income, and regional building costs.
We welcome the Government’s decision to increase overall DFG funding allocations to local authorities in 2023/24 and 2024/25. However, the current DFG distribution formula is unfair and does not distribute funds according to local need. Oxford City Council sets a … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges the DFG distribution formula is outdated, commits to reviewing how funding is allocated based on local need, and plans to consult on a new formula during 2025 with the aim of adopting it as soon as possible.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
View details
17 Recommendation Accepted
Seventh Report - Disabled people i…
Expand Foundations' remit to improve DFG guidance, tools, and applicant support, including neurodivergent needs.
The current provision of local authority support for disabled people seeking to adapt their homes is inconsistent across England. This can result in additional barriers for disabled people as they navigate the DFG process. The Government should expand Foundations’ remit … Read more
Government Response
The government states that its current contract with Foundations, which commenced in October 2024, already includes providing accessible information to the public, and the department will continue to work with Foundations to ensure quality guidance and self-assessment tools for disabled and neurodivergent people.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
View details
18 Recommendation Accepted
Seventh Report - Disabled people i…
Require the Landlord Ombudsman to consider complaints regarding landlord refusal of accessibility adaptations.
It is unacceptable that any landlords should refuse disabled tenants permission for reasonable accessibility adaptations, especially where these adaptations have been approved as part of a DFG application. The Government must continue its work with landlord associations and housing associations … Read more
Government Response
The government will explore further changes, highlight how the Renters' Rights Bill will empower tenants and introduce an Ombudsman to consider complaints about refusal of adaptations, and ensure the Ombudsman's service and communications meet the needs of disabled tenants. They also point to existing guidance from the NRLA and in government 'How to' guides.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
View details
Government Response AI assessment · 18 of 11 classified
Accepted 4
Acknowledged 4
Deferred 9
Rejected 1
Total 11 recs + 7 conclusions
Correspondence 2 letters
16 Apr 2024 To committee Letter from the Minister for Housing and Homelessness dated 4 April 2024 following up evidence given before the Committee on 18 March
Parliament page
8 Nov 2023 To committee Letter from the Minister of State for Housing and Planning concerning disabled people in the housing sector, dated 28 September 2023
Parliament page