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Our A-List of New Year wishes

Jeremy Porteus

Happy New Year! Hope you had a good festive break? As we start 2022, we set out our 5 A-list asks for the coming year!

1. Accessible Housing  

While the new National Model Design Code highlighted the requirements for accessible housing and the National Disability Strategy stated that the government would respond to its consultation on Part M of the Building Regulations by the end of 2021, it was disappointing that this was not forthcoming. However, this is now expected in the coming months. As one of the founding members of the Housing Made for Everyone (HoME) Coalition, one of our key asks to drive home is that government urgently needs to revise the regulations in order to make sure that all new homes are 'accessible and adaptable' as the mandatory baseline standard - also known as M4(2) of the Building Regulations.

2. Adaptations

Last month's Adult Social Care Reform White Paper, People at the Heart of Care (opens new window), set out a 10 year vision for social care. It included measures that improve the way homes can be adapted to enable people to live more independently at home. With forthcoming guidance expected on Disabled Facilities Grants, we need to take the opportunity to reframe the debate on adaptations and transform their use from highlighting disability to promoting livability. 

3. Advice and information

The Adult Social Care Reform White Paper also made reference to the importance of providing information and advice to allow people to be better informed so that they can plan for their future care needs and be enabled to remain in their own homes and communities for longer. We welcome this pledge but also insist that the promise is backed up by a long-term funding commitment to ensure that resources are available to fund and sustain local advice and information services.

4. Stop Ageism 

We are proud to have signed up to this major campaign to STOP Ageism (opens new window). Established by Guild Living and L&G, and academic research partner, the University of Bath, the campaign's objectives accord with our vision of creating a society where there are better quality homes and better housing choices for all ages. We support routing out ageism in our sector. Find out more about the Stop Ageism campaign here. 

5. Assistive Technology

Hot on the heels of the publication of the Technology for our Ageing Population: Panel for Innovation (TAPPI) Inquiry report, funded by Dunhill Medical Trust and their announcment at last month's Housing LIN Summit 2021 - A Festival of Ideas - of the availability of second stage funding to implement the Inquiry's recommendations, our fifth and final ask is to ensure that the adoption of technology to support the delivery of any housing and personal care is underpinned by the 10 foundational TAPPI principles. 

We look forward to seeing how many of our wishes will come true this year. 

Jeremy Porteus, Chief Executive, Housing LIN