Accessible Housing in London

The London Assembly Housing Committee has written to the Mayor with the findings of its investigation into accessible housing in London – homes which are adapted or built to enable Disabled people or people with access needs, including older people, to live independently.

The investigation found that there are huge gaps in understanding of accessible housing need – for instance, how many Londoners need wheelchair adapted homes.

Recommendations include:

• The next Strategic Housing Market Assessment should place a much greater focus on accessibility. 
• The GLA should improve the accuracy of data on accessible home completions and approvals in the London Planning Datahub. 
• The GLA should take a co-production approach to developing housing policy and programmes – involving Deaf and Disabled People’s Organisations in key decision-making processes on an ongoing basis. 
• The GLA should ensure a larger proportion of homes meet the wheelchair accessible standard, to avoid downstream costs associated with adaptation.