Disability Wales welcomes the EHRC report today highlighting disabled people’s experiences of housing. Urgent action is most certainly required in Wales in order to make houses adaptable and accessible to disabled people. There are far too many examples where disabled people are unable to move around their own home due to its inaccessibility. This is having a huge impact on disabled people’s health and well-being, their ability to engage in community life and, access employment.
Having a suitable place to live is a basic need and a human right.
The report comes from an 18 month-long Inquiry led by the Commission. It reveals its research findings and provides recommendations that call for governments across England, Scotland and Wales to take urgent action to make houses adaptable and accessible to everyone.
Key messages
•The EHRC want to see more accessible and adaptable homes in Britain, underpinned by national housing strategies.
•Local councils need to improve the way they assess housing demand and offer accessible housing to their communities.
•Disabled people are not currently being supported to live independently or with dignity.
•There are huge benefits to supporting disabled people to live independently such as being more likely to be employed, socialise with friends and family, access education and less likely to be in hospital.
To read the full report please visit the EHRC website
