Specialist housing provider calls for planning reform to increase accessible housing requirements
A lack of accessible and adaptable housing could cost the NHS over £3.9bn in extra bed costs, a new report by Habinteg claimed.
The accessible housing provider’s latest survey explored public attitudes towards accessible and adaptable homes. It found that 21% of UK adults aged 16 to 79 said that they or a family member experienced outcomes such as a delayed return from hospital or a move into residential care because a home did not meet their accessibility needs.
Based on the average cost of one night in hospital being £483, Habinteg estimated that delayed hospital discharges could cost the public purse more than £3.9bn taking into account survey responses and an assumed three‑night delay for each affected patient.
It also calculated that moves to residential care could amount to over £11bn if each stay lasted four weeks.
While 5% of survey respondents said they personally experienced a delayed hospital discharge, 4% reported being moved to residential care due to inaccessible homes.
Meanwhile, among those aged between 55 and 64, less than a third (28%) said they were confident that their current home would allow independent living at age 80 without adaptations compared to 40% of all UK adults.
Mike Nevin, Habinteg insight group member, experienced a delayed discharge from hospital following a major health incident where he lost the use of his legs, lower body, and for a time, the use of his upper body.
He said: “I had to stay in hospital for longer than I needed to because my Victorian semi-detached property in Somerset was so unsuitable for me that the occupational therapist declared me ‘technically homeless’.
“I remember a feeling of hopelessness overwhelmed me about my housing situation; all I wanted to do was to go home. If I had stayed in hospital any longer, I’d have spiralled downwards.
“To get me out of hospital and back into my original home while I searched for a new, more suitable home, a friend constructed a temporary ramp. Without it, the house would have been inaccessible to me. Unable to find a suitable home in the southwest, we eventually had to leave Somerset, for a new-build house with level access and wide halls in the northeast in Durham.”
Government policy has a role to play in the supply of accessible homes. Over half (52%) of UK adults support a requirement for all new homes to be accessible and adaptable, compared with 13% who oppose it.
Martin Warhurst, chief executive of Habinteg, called on the government to “take note of the substantial public support for a national policy to ensure all new homes are built to the accessible and adaptable standard”.
He added: “Currently, the National Planning Policy Framework only requires a minimum of just 40% of new homes to be built to the standard and there is no obligation on local planning authorities to include a target for homes that are fully wheelchair accessible.
“The lack of accessible homes causes real harm and hardship to countless households, as well as driving costs to public services.”
Habinteg manages approximately 3,350 homes in 86 local authorities across England. Around one in three of its homes are specifically designed for wheelchair users.
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