Affordable homes must meet basic accessibility requirements argue charity

The Centre for Ageing Better have called on the government to ensure the new builds meet accessibility requirements today.

The calls follow the announcement of a £3 billion fund that will help deliver 30,000 affordable homes.

The chancellor Philip Hammond made the pledge during yesterday’s Spring Statement, during which he laid out his plans to end austerity and undertake a spending review this summer.

Hammond said it represented an “ambitious plan to restore the dream of homeownership to younger people”.

While the Centre for Ageing Better have welcomed the increased funding, they explained that the scheme needs to understand the additional accessibility allowances required by older people.

After the announcement Dr Anna Dixon, Chief Executive of the Centre for Ageing Better, said: “This £3 billion towards the building of 30,000 new, affordable homes is hugely welcome – but it is imperative that we grasp this opportunity to ensure these new homes are fit for the future and meet our needs as we age.

“In the coming years there will be many more older households.

“Currently just 7 per cent of our housing stock meets basic accessibility requirements.

“Unsuitable housing can cause problems for people with disabilities and cause injury and falls.

”This has an impact on both individuals and our health and care services.

“Most of us want to live at home for as long as possible, independently and safely.

”And yet very few affordable and accessible houses are being built to enable people to do that. If we don’t act on opportunities like this to ensure our new housing is accessible we are simply storing up problems for the future.”