Council Houses should be Inspiring not ‘Eyesores’

A think tank has called for the overhaul of the way local authorities approach council houses to encourage building and avoid ‘eyesore’ houses.

Policy Exchange’s report, which is backed by former Labour Housing Secretary Ruth Kelly and ex-Housing Minister Kevin Hollinrake, called for a new national design code for council houses as well as a new version of the Infrastructure Levy to help local authorities self-finance the construction of new council homes.

“Council houses… must not only be built, they must also be of high quality,” Kelly said.

“[Britain needs] council housing that does not merely meet targets or satisfy regulations but revitalises neighbourhoods and strengthens communities,” she added.

The country faces a severe shortage of council houses, with Thatcher’s ‘Right to Buy’ policy leading to an exodus of homes to the private market, and subsequent governments failing to build enough housing to keep up with demand.

Policy Exchange has called for Right to Buy to be repealed, meaning there will be a statutory obligation to build a new home for every one sold.

There’s an overall backlog of 4.3m homes in Britain, with 1.3m households on the waiting list for social housing in England. The UK spends almost £25bn on housing benefits every year.

The knock-on effects of our housing crisis include growing inequality between homeowners and renters, overcrowding, higher commuting distances, reduced economic output as people are put off moving to expensive cities and a diversion of investment into playing the housing market.

100,000 council houses needed a year

Policy Exchange has argued the government needs to “go beyond” its pledge of an additional £39bn over ten years for ‘affordable’ housing by building 100,000 council houses a year.

“The [housing crisis] is not solely a problem of dwindling council housing stock but low levels of new council house construction,” Policy Exchange said.

Kevin Hollinrake MP, Conservative party chair and ex-shadow housing secretary, said he “welcomed the central message of [the Policy Exchange’s] paper”.

“There is no solution to the housing crisis unless we are committed to building beautiful, inspiring, and affordable homes.

“If the recommendations of this report are properly considered, a new generation of council housing can make a meaningful contribution to fostering both strong communities, and national economic growth.”

 

David Simmonds, shadow minister for Housing, Levelling Up and Communities and MP for Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner, added: “In the rush to increase the quantity of social housing, we must not ignore the need to ensure that new homes are built to a high quality.”

“It is essential that we build council housing stock that enhances and serves communities – for generations to come.”

Source: City AM

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Tendrils of Hope for Construction Recovery

There are some early signs the UK’s beleaguered construction industry is turning a corner as higher demand, higher government investment and lower interest rates set shovels in the ground.

Judging by the numbers so far this year, the UK’s construction industry is in a bad place: The sector contracted at the fastest pace since 2020 in July, with payroll numbers dropping for the seventh consecutive month.

Demand for concrete has fallen to its lowest level since 1963, while the Minerals Product Association (MPA) has warned that demand for mortar and sand has fallen to “historically low levels.”

Just 904 new homes were registered in the second quarter of 2025, down from 2,191 in the second quarter of 2024, according to the National House Building Council (NHBC).

The short-term picture looks undeniably bleak, fuelled by a hangover from high inflation, plus planning delays and labour shortages.

But early trading updates from housebuilder Bellway and brick-maker Ibstock, plus a new report from construction firm McBains, suggest the industry is entering a period of recovery.

In fact, medium-term confidence is “buoyant”, according to director at McBains, Colin McCaffrey, with growth to be found in private housing, infrastructure and industrial work.

‘Gradual recovery after a challenging period’

Industrial and infrastructure output is set to rise by around one per cent next year and in the low single digits in 2026, while private housing output is expected to rebound with four per cent growth in 2025 and seven per cent in 2026, according to McBain’s report.

Housing activity will be driven by a “continued increase in build-to-rent developments and large-scale mixed-use developments”, the report said, with a focus on substantial affordable housing and town centre regeneration.

The government has announced billions in financial support for affordable housebuilders, and has loosened the red tape hemming the sector (although councils have so far found it difficult to adapt).

Ibstock, which manufactures and supplies building products, has recently reported an improvement in trading conditions, with demand in new-build residential improving notably.

In a trading update on August 12, housebuilder Bellway said Labour’s plans will help the industry “in the years ahead”, and reported a higher-than-expected number of completed houses.

Analysts at Berenberg said they expect 2024 to “mark the trough” of the UK housebuilding cycle and expect a “steady volume recovery in the coming years.”

Even July’s job figures suggest some green shoots: Construction has seen a rise in temp vacancies, an “early sign of confidence returning”, according to Kate Shoesmith, REC deputy chief executive.

“Demand for blue-collar temp roles and permanent engineering jobs across the country also remains steady, offering another glimmer of optimism.”

Interest rates have fallen to four per cent and are almost certain to fall at least one more time this year, while technological advances have started to bring down costs.

Challenges remain for construction

Signs of a recovery, however, don’t mean that all is suddenly well in the industry.

“Factors such as planning logjams, skills shortages and wage costs… still represent key challenges over [the next few years],” McCaffrey said.

The construction industry will also continue to face the challenge of an ageing workforce, with more workers reaching retirement than those entering the workplace. The UK will need 225,000 more skilled workers by 2027, according to McBain.

If demand starts to spike and the capacity of businesses doesn’t ramp up, there’s the risk of “overtrading”, according to Kelly Boorman, National Head of Construction at RSM UK.

“Although pipelines are strong and margins are improving, the supply chain is struggling to keep pace, with labour constraints, rising employment costs and future supply shortages anticipated for materials, which will drive prices up adding further tension,” she added.

But she said there are “reasons for cautious optimism”, despite the challenges.

Firstly, construction is somewhat more insulated from AI than other manual industries, which could lead to new employment opportunities.

Then there’s the government investment: The launch of the National Housing Bank will “provide more stability and access to working capital for SME housebuilders”, Boorman said, which “should help accelerate project delivery and mitigate the risk of overtrading.”

Source: Yahoo Finance

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Lack of Apprenticeship Opportunities

 

Nicola Hodkinson, owner and director of Seddon, highlights how the construction industry is failing to meet the growing appetite for apprenticeships amongst young people.

“As students across the country receive their A-level results today, many find themselves facing uncertainty about their future career paths, rather than celebrating. For those ambitious students looking to pursue a practical career in construction, many are finding themselves reaching a dead end, not due to lack of ability and academic success, but because of a lack of opportunity.”

 

First-hand figures on demand vs supply

“Seddon has long-championed apprenticeships as a direct pathway into the construction industry. Each year, we see a growing interest in our apprenticeship offering at Seddon, with our last hiring intake receiving 2,694 applications for just 20 positions.

“This oversubscription is indicative of the growing interest among young people seeking alternate pathways to the university route. Unfortunately, the construction industry just isn’t meeting the demand, with the availability of apprenticeships falling significantly behind the number of interested applicants. The problem is a lack of employers, not a lack of ambition or interest in pursuing a career in construction.”

 Addressing the new stats from CITB

“The industry faces a growing skills shortage, which continues to stifle growth. At Seddon, we believe that apprenticeships are a vital way to plug that gap, but the sector is lagging. As an industry, we simply can’t wait for job-ready workers, we need to create them through proper investment in apprenticeships and young people.

“This week, The Construction Industry Training Board’s (CITB) estimated that 61,000 new workers each year would be needed to meet the government’s target of 1.5 million new homes by 2030. For the government to meet its own target, we need them to fully understand the needs of the industry and invest in apprenticeships as a direct strategy to close the widening skills gap and bring young people into the workforce.

Future-proofing the construction industry:

“Our industry is sleepwalking into crisis. We are failing to recruit and train apprentices, instead leaning far too heavily on an ageing, self-employed workforce. It’s short-sighted. It’s unsustainable. Without urgent, radical change in how we hire and grow our people, we face stagnation and decline.

“The truth is simple: we cannot build without builders – and AI will not lay bricks, wire homes, or pour concrete. This is everyone’s responsibility: main contractors, subcontractors, and the self-employed alike. Yet, right now, the burden rests on the shoulders of a few – and that is nowhere near enough to safeguard the future of our industry.

 

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ALTRO ADHESIVE-FREE IS FLEXIBLE CHOICE FOR FURNITURE SHOWROOM

   

Altro Illustra adhesive-free flooring was the perfect choice for JDD Furniture’s full refurbishment of its flagship showroom. The Birmingham-based  manufacturer of hand-crafted, meticulously-executed workspace furniture was looking for flooring with strong aesthetics, performance, flexibility and sustainability credentials for its Birmingham Jewellery Quarter showroom where it flies the flag for local, British manufacture and thoughtful, useful design.

Joe Duffell of JDD says:

“After 12 years in the Jewellery Quarter it was time to breathe new life into our flagship showroom with a full refurb. Altro adhesive-free flooring allows us to keep things fresh moving forward as we can change layouts without worry of damage and it gives our furniture the best possible platform.

“We chose Altro Illustra adhesive-free for its versatility and hard-wearing attributes. The natural visual textures complement the hand-crafted wooden structures we use to provide a soft, warm and welcoming feel to all our products.

“Environmental preservation is at the core of everything we do, from concept to creation. We source our materials locally and sustainably, and we recycle as much as possible. Part of the appeal of Altro Illustra adhesive-free is that the materials are sourced from and the floor is made in Europe.”

Sarah Jennings from Altro worked with JDD worked on product selection.

“With this being a showroom, we realised that what was going to be installed would likely be changed quicker than the intended life span of 15 years so the brilliant thing about the Altro Illustra adhesive-free is that when this time came, we could uplift it, potentially re-use but definitely recycle via the Recofloor scheme.

“Looking to design, Altro Illustra adhesive-free is available in three distinct pattern groups with visual textures to bring depth to designs: natural stones, modern textiles and muted minerals. These designs offer a harmonious blend of style and functionality with nature-inspired textures and softness to help create and enhance feeling of wellbeing within spaces, so were ideal for the JDD showroom.

“As the product is not stuck down this allowed for a quicker initial install along with future proofing for when the floor is replaced as there’s practically no prep work and the new flooring can be laid very quickly meaning that the showroom can open up again a lot quicker.  Also, the space has high ceilings so the acoustic backing, which provides a 14dB impact sound reduction, was a great added benefit.”

 

As Altro adhesive-free floors require no adhesive and no DPM, there is an immediate reduction of embodied carbon by avoiding these elements. Up to 50% saving is based on compared CO2 data for Altro Illustra adhesive-free against a typical 2mm adhered vinyl floor that uses applied damp proof membrane.

In addition to its sustainability, style and safety features, Altro Illustra offers easy maintenance and durability, incorporating Altro Easyclean™ technology. The floor is designed to withstand heavy foot traffic and resist stains, making it suitable for busy environments, and reducing the likelihood of maintenance and cleaning issues.

CLICK HERE

To find out more about Altro’s adhesive-free flooring solutions 

 

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Training to Reduce Reliance on Foreign Construction Workers

 

The Government has named the locations for technical colleges which will train 40,000 construction workers, as part of the Government’s plan to build 1.5 million new homes during this Parliament.

The 10 sites across England comes as part of the Department for Education’s planned £100 million investment in training workers.

It is hoped that they will help tens of thousands of builders, bricklayers, electricians, carpenters, and plumbers, many of whom are already in the industry, to get improved skills by 2029.

The plans are in addition to a separate target, announced in March, to train 60,000 construction workers. The Department for Education said the initiative was part of reducing its reliance on foreign labour.

A further 100,000 construction workers will be recruited by the Construction Skills Mission Board each year by the end of the Parliament.

The construction technical excellence colleges will be based in Derby College Group in the East Midlands, West Suffolk College in the east of England, New City College in Greater London, City of Sunderland College in north-east England, Wigan and Leigh College in north-west England, North Kent College in south-east England, Exeter College in south-west England, Bedford College which the Government said will be cross-regional, Dudley College of Technology in the West Midlands and Leeds College of Building – which will cover Yorkshire and the Humber.

Some are long-standing colleges, but will receive extra funding and support from the Government.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said:

“We need skilled workers to deliver the homes, schools and hospitals that communities across the country are crying out for, and today’s announcement underlines our commitment to the next generation of homegrown talent.

“Construction Technical Excellence Colleges will enable us to invest in people and give them the skills they need to break down barriers to opportunity.”

A recent Government survey found that the percentage of construction firms funding or offering training to their workers has fallen from 57% in 2011 to 49% in 2024.

David Hughes, chief executive of the Association of Colleges, said:

“Today’s announcement is very positive news for people wanting good jobs, for the construction employers looking for skilled people and for the government’s ambitions to build 1.5 million new homes.

“It represents significant investment and trust in the 10 successful colleges, and the college sector, recognising their crucial role in boosting the country’s construction sector by opening up high quality learning opportunities all over the country.”

Tim Balcon, chief executive of the Construction Industry Training Board, said:

“It’s wonderful to see the progress being made towards establishing these technical excellence colleges for construction.

“They represent a transformative opportunity for people to complete local vocational training, helping to drive regional growth and nurture the next generation of skilled construction workers in local communities.”

Shadow education minister Saqib Bhatti said:

“We welcome any investment into skills and training for British people, but this pledge rings hollow in the face of Labour’s broken promises.

“What young people need are good and secure jobs, but thanks to Labour’s jobs tax, jobs are being cut a record rates and unemployment is on the rise. Combined with Labour’s cuts to Level 7 apprenticeships, this government is clearly not on the side our next generation.

“Only the Conservatives are on the side of Britain’s makers – those who work hard, do the right thing and want to get on, and only we can be trusted to deliver the low tax, pro-growth economy that supports jobs for the future.”

Source: The Impartial Reporter

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Public lacks confidence in the next generation of New Towns

Stevanage was the first of the Post War New Towns: Stevenage Museum

 

Public lacks confidence in the next generation of New Towns, but has clear ideas for getting them right, RTPI and YouGov survey finds

  • 73% of Brits are not confident the next generation of new towns will meet community needs in 50 years’ time.
  • 74% believe incoming residents should have the biggest say in how future new towns are planned, designed and funded over time.
  • 82% would prefer new towns to be built by a variety of organisations – not just large housebuilders.
  • 59% want to experiment with new ways of planning, designing and funding.

A survey from the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) and YouGov reveals that the UK public has serious doubts about whether the next generation of new towns will meet future needs – and has strong views on how to get them right.

While post war new towns, like Stevenage, Crawley, and Milton Keynes transformed living standards for millions, the survey shows their legacy is mixed.

Asked what words came to mind when thinking of these towns, respondents most often used negative terms such as “concrete”, “boring”, and “soulless” – with many simply answering “roundabouts”. Some, however, were keen to point to the potential and ambition of the original new towns, even where their goals weren’t met.

These findings echo the recommendations of the RTPI’s Futureproof New Towns interim report, published today, which draws on lessons from international new towns to demonstrate to policymakers and planners what to do – and what not to do – when planning new towns.

The interim report found that successful new towns are dependent on community leadership and engagement, underpinned by consistent, high‑quality design and strong infrastructure connections.

The findings come as the public awaits the delayed publication of the New Towns Taskforce’s report and recommend locations for England’s next new towns. The Taskforce’s proposals, originally due in July, are expected to be published after the summer recess alongside the Government’s response.

Dr Victoria Hills, Chief Executive of the RTPI, said:

“Britain’s first generation of new towns changed lives – but they also locked in outdated ideas. The bold decision by the Government to create a new generation of new towns offers us a chance to get it right – to create ambitious, community-led places that are designed with communities, for communities.”

Professor John Sturzaker FRTPI, University of Hertfordshire, Research Project Lead, said: 

“There is a lot to learn from new towns around the world. Developments across Europe, Asia and the Americas show us what can be achieved when planning’s power is harnessed to create flourishing, sustainable communities. Our aim is for these findings to be used help make sure that this next generation of new towns in England are adaptable to the inevitable changes we face in the future.”

Over summer 2025, the research team, led by the University of Hertfordshire, will visit selected international case studies to deepen insights. The full UK-focused report with policy recommendations will be published in autumn 2025, with an international edition to follow at the end of the year.

 

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Plastic Free Water, A Right Not A Privilege

   

Our Tap Water Safety at a Crossroads: Why the UN Plastic Treaty Matters More Than Ever

Last week, delegates from around the world gathered in Geneva to finalise what could be the most important environmental agreement of our time – the UN plastics treaty. The stakes, writes Bluewater communications chief Dave Noble, could not be higher because plastics break down into micro- and nano-plastics that infiltrate the food chain, leach toxic chemicals into water and soil, harm wildlife, and accumulate in human bodies, posing escalating health, environmental, and climate threats that are already global in scale and effectively irreversible.

A powerful new report published in The Guardian warns that global chemical pollution is now “a threat to the thriving of humans and nature of a similar order as climate change.” The research, from Deep Science Ventures, estimates more than 100 million synthetic chemicals are in circulation, tens of thousands in everyday use, with mounting links to health issues such as infertility, cancer, and ADHD.

The dangers aren’t theoretical. Over the past week, water safety crises have erupted in the headlines. In rural Alsace, France, an article from broadcaster franceinfo reported that residents have been told to boil tap water after bacteriological contamination was detected. And this week the BBC also published a story about how a joint investigation by Le Mondeand Radio France revealed that at least one-third of bottled mineral water brands – including Perrier – have been allegedly treated illegally to remove bacteria, breaking EU rules and shaking public trust.

Our founder and CEO, Bengt Rittri, a dedicated ecopreneur who earlier founded indoor air purification pioneer Blueair, has repeated his call for a robust, binding plastics treaty, warning that “microplastics, chemical leaching, and unsafe drinking water are interlinked threats demanding urgent, binding global action.”

At Bluewater, we see the connections every day. Microplastics don’t just litter oceans – they enter our drinking water. Toxic chemical additives can leach from plastics into food and beverages. And legacy pollutants such as PFAS (“forever chemicals”) continue to accumulate in the environment, with serious health consequences.

Bluewater believes no one should have to compromise on the safety of the water they drink. That’s why Bluewater’s advanced SuperiorOsmosis™ purification tech is designed to remove up to 99.7% of all known contaminants from tap water – including PFAS and other toxic chemicals, lead, and microplastics. Whether for homes or businesses, our water purification and beverage solutions help people safeguard their health and wellbeing, while also reducing reliance on single-use plastic bottles, while our smart, great looking sustainable water bottles are designed especially for today’s refill generation and come with a lifetime warranty.

The problems making headlines this week are global, urgent, and interconnected. The Geneva talks offer a rare chance to address them at their root. We urge negotiators to seize it – because clean, safe water should be a universal right, not a privilege.

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Yorkshire Mayor Urges “Further and Faster” Home Building

Mayor Tracy Brabin led the calls for everyone involved in housebuilding to move “further and faster”

West Yorkshire Mayor convenes regional summit to ramp up affordable housebuilding

 

Housing leaders from across West Yorkshire have come together to accelerate plans for affordable housebuilding in the region.

At a gathering of some of the region’s leading housing developers, Mayor Tracy Brabin led the calls for everyone involved in housebuilding to move “further and faster” in building the thousands of new homes West Yorkshire needs.

The event, which took place this week (4 August), saw local authorities, housing associations and private developers all unite to boost the delivery of affordable housing across Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds and Wakefield.

The roundtable came as West Yorkshire celebrates a major milestone, having reached the highest level of affordable housebuilding in over a decade. Between 2022 and 2023, over 1,500 affordable homes were delivered in the region – the highest number since the global financial crisis.

Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, said:

“Having a safe, warm and affordable place to call home is not a nice to have – it’s a basic human right.

“Yet with almost 100,000 households on council house waiting lists and private rents soaring, too many families in West Yorkshire are being deprived of the very foundation their lives need to succeed.

“Thanks to devolution, we’ve been able to back bold, place-based solutions, and we’re seeing the results – with more affordable homes delivered than at any time since the financial crash.

“But we need to go further and faster, uniting all of our housing partners around a shared mission – building the affordable, high-quality homes that local people need and deserve”.

In total, over 6,000 new homes have been unlocked across 29 sites since May 2021, following the successful delivery of the £89 million Brownfield Housing Fund.

Despite this clear progress, West Yorkshire still faces acute housing pressures, with average house prices now six times the average wage, and two in five privately rented homes failing to meet decent standards in some areas of the region.

In response, the West Yorkshire Housing Strategy 2040 sets out ambitions to ramp up delivery to meet the Mayor’s pledge of building 5,000 affordable homes over the next three years. This pledge is underpinned by deepening collaboration with Homes England, and the backing of the UK Government’s £39 billion Affordable Homes Programme.

Mayor Brabin is clear that greater freedoms and flexibilities and longer-term funding certainty are key to unlocking the region’s full housebuilding potential. The roundtable convened this week builds on this momentum, exploring how public and private partners can go further to deliver the affordable, sustainable homes that local families need.

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Legislate to Prevent Late Payments

The building services sector has welcomed the government’s announcement of a consultation on late, long and disputed business to business payments.

The UK government says it is committed to tackling the scourge of late payments, which affects over 1.5 million businesses, costs the economy almost £11bn per year and closes down 38 UK businesses every day.

The proposals aim to improve cash flow through supply chains and support small businesses with payment disputes.

The Department of Business & Trade stated:

“A healthy cash flow is critical for the survival and growth of the UK’s small businesses. Paying hard-working employees, settling bills with other businesses, and investing in new capital, skills and ideas for the future – all of this relies on timely and fair payment.”

The consultation will run until 23 October 2025 and welcome views from all businesses, trade representative organisations, member organisations and interested parties to the proposals.

There are specific proposals referring to the use of retention clauses within construction contracts and the government says it welcomes responses from those in the construction sector and wider who are party to a construction contract

The consultation, which is part of its wider Small Business Strategy, has been welcomed by the Building Engineering Services Association (BESA), describing it as a chance to solve late payment “once and for all”.

Seen as an ongoing threat to small engineering businesses posed by late payment and retentions, the consultation will seek answers to a problem that BESA maintains has been undermining SMEs in construction-related sectors for decades and continues to force many small specialist engineering firms into insolvency.

“Withholding retentions across the supply chain has been an outdated practice which disproportionally impacts the cashflow of small businesses across the construction,” said Actuate UK, the umbrella body for UK engineering services.

“Actuate UK and its members will now widely consult and submit a response supporting a solution that is fair, enforceable and sustainable,” it said.

Under draft legislation, the Companies (Directors’ Report Payment Reporting) Regulations 2025, companies with more than 250 employees will be required to disclose their payment performance in their annual reports. This will include data on how long it takes to pay suppliers, and the percentage of payments made within agreed terms.

The aim is to increase transparency and accountability. Currently, payment data is submitted to a government portal, but this is not widely viewed. Embedding payment performance in annual reports instead would make poor practices more visible to clients and potential suppliers.

Audit committees could also be given greater responsibility for overseeing payment practices and holding executive teams to account.

“We have been waiting a long time for proper late payment legislation backed up by real enforcement,” said BESA’s legal and commercial director Debbie Petford.

“We encourage companies from across the engineering services sector to take this once in a generation opportunity to put forward their solutions and help lay the foundations for a future business environment in which they can thrive – not just survive.”

She added that a succession of voluntary pledges on late and unfair payment over the years had not helped the cause of sub-contractors struggling to claim fair payment “for work they have completed in good faith”.

“The collapse of ISG last year demonstrated just how vulnerable small contractors are to insolvencies further up the supply chain. Too many perfectly good businesses have been lost because they have been denied the lifeblood of healthy cash flow,” said Petford.

“This consultation is the opportunity we have been calling for to address this blight on our industry once and for all.”

BESA said it would be contacting its members to explain how they can take part in the consultation.

 

Source: The Cooling Post

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Accessibility Should Feature in Home Building

As many as 885,000 more people could now be living in accessible and adaptable properties if legislation requiring higher minimum standards in new build homes had been delivered as promised, new analysis from the Centre for Ageing Better and Habinteg reveals.

29 July marked the three-year anniversary of a government announcement confirming plans to require all new homes to have entrance level step-free access and other accessibility features as a minimum requirement.

The government’s decision came after a large-scale consultation and reflects the need for the country’s homes to be accessible and adaptable to support population ageing and growing numbers of older and Disabled people to live safely and independently at home.

A second round of consultation that was planned to finalise the transition to the new regulations has never materialised.

In the three years since the announcement, Habinteg and Ageing Better analysis indicates that we have just 112,000 new accessible and adaptable homes – based on an industry average that only one in four new build homes have been built to this standard.

This means that the vast majority of homes built in this time, totalling more than 375,000, are not built to meet the needs of Disabled people or the changing needs of people throughout their lifetime.

Our new polling indicates high levels of public concern around how people would cope living in their own home if they developed a serious health issue or injury.

Two in three people (66%) think they would have problems moving around their current home and carrying out everyday tasks without major adaptations to their property if they developed a health issue or serious injury.

The previous government commented in their consultation response on the positive impact that raising the accessibility standards of new homes would have on housing health and welfare. They noted that it would ‘future proof’ new homes for successive generations, saving costs associated with moving or adapting homes.

More than three in four people (77%) think all new homes should be built to a standard that allows people to live independently as they age or if they become disabled.

As co-chairs of the Housing Made for Everyone (HoME) coalition, Habinteg Housing Association and the Centre for Ageing Better are calling on the government to use the opportunity provided by the Planning and Infrastructure Bill to raise the default standard to the M4(2) standard of accessibility and adaptation.

Millie Brown, Deputy Director for Homes at Centre for Ageing Better, said

“ We welcome the government’s commitment to building 1.5 million new homes; however, it is paramount that they are built to be accessible and adaptable.”

“The government must seize this opportunity to address the crisis of inaccessible housing and bridge the ever-widening gap between the number of Disabled people and accessible homes.”

“The proportions of older and Disabled people among our population are growing significantly, and yet there are not enough provisions to support this change in our country’s demographics – we are falling abysmally short of meeting people’s needs.

“We know that the impact of raising minimum accessibility standards could have been life-changing to so many people had it been implemented over the past three years; from performing basic tasks like being able to shower without risking injury, to having the ability to enter the front door and move around easily. People living in homes which do not meet their accessibility needs cannot just wait for years and years clinging to the hope this change might happen at some point in the future, their need is desperate and urgent.”

“Everyone deserves to live in a home that affords them safety and independence. Now is the time to make the change and raise the level of what we should expect from our housing.”

Previous analysis has highlighted how little progress has been made on improving the accessibility of the nation’s homes in the last decade.

Recently our published figures show the proportion of homes with accessibility features has flatlined, while there is a growing demand as the proportion of Disabled people increases steadily in the UK.

In the absence of new regulations, the accessibility gap of unmet demand has grown by more than 2 million people in just over a decade – meaning 12 million people who have accessibility needs do not have the accessible home they need. Increasing the building standard to the M4(2) standard could potentially eradicate a significant proportion of the unmet demand for accessible homes in this country.

Christina McGill, Director of Social Impact & External Affairs at Habinteg Housing Association, said:

The Government’s plans for housing are central to so much of what it wants to achieve. Accessible and adaptable homes in particular hold huge potential to reduce health and social care costs whilst supporting disabled and older people to work and maintain independence.

“Yet twelve months into the new Government’s term we’ve heard very little of its intentions with regard to the minimum standards of accessibility and adaptability. Meanwhile homes are being built, and plans are being made for new developments which will not be accessible and adaptable and will therefor fail to deliver these critical outcomes.

“Far too many disabled and older people are making do in homes that limit their lives and independence. That’s why Habinteg and the HoME coalition are asking government to act now on accessible homes rules. With a rapidly aging population and increasing rates of disability the government needs to ensure the country’s new homes will all be fit for the nation’s need both now and into the future.”

Evidence shows that building more accessible homes can have positive impacts both socially and economically, including:

  • Increased independence and less reliance on health and social care services
  • Savings to the NHS from fewer falls and other injuries around the home
  • Improved mental health and wellbeing for Disabled people
  • Reductions in costs of retrofitting homes to suit needs, which is more costly than making them part of the original design

Source: The Carer

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