Accessible Design

The design of new homes and the retrofitting of existing homes can enable people to keep independent and stay in the same home. We have brought together a wide range of resources to show how good design can maintain health and wellbeing and help people adapt to changes that may be due to aging or other factors. The resources are split into three sections:

Lifetime Homes - resources about the financial, planning and market impact of Lifetime Homes and other related standards and guidance
Accessibility and adaptability - relevant papers on accessible and adaptable new and existing accommodation for older and disabled people, including Accessible Housing Registers
Case studies examples about accessibility and design standards in practice

Could you benefit from our Inclusive Housing Design Consultancy service?

Design Age Ideas No.1-4

This series brings together research from across the Design Age Institute and their partners to present new insights into the role of design in supporting us all to age well.

Housing LIN welcomes 3 new supporters of its Accessible Design and Occupational Therapist web resources

We’re delighted to welcome on board ProCare Ltd, Invisible Creations, and Johnnie Johnson Housing as new sponsors of the Housing LIN. Find out more about the new sponsors of our Accessible Design and Occupational Therapists webpage.

Accessible and Inclusive Housing – Bringing Together a Focus on Adaptations as an Integrated Priority Across Policy Agendas in Scotland

This Housing LIN Case Study (No. 169) on accessible and inclusive housing is written in the context of the Enhancing the accessibility, adaptability and usability of Scotland’s homes: consultation being conducted by the Scottish Government (closing date 21st December 2023).

Housing an ageing population: the consumer’s perspective

In this Housing LIN Viewpoint 106, Tony Watts OBE, writer and co-founder of the Age Action Alliance, highlights the lack of planning conditions to ensure new homes are suitable for aging individuals. He proposes four necessary actions to address this issue.

Designing for the future, now!

In this new Housing LIN guest blog, Ed Warner, Founder and CEO at Motionspot and Paula Broadbent, Managing Director at Lovell Later Living, reflect on the importance behind transforming spaces and lives through beautifully designed, accessible environments and products and why sectors changes are needed now to ensure that the demands of today are met tomorrow and so forth.

2021 to 2022 Better Care Fund policy framework

This policy framework sets out the national conditions, metrics and funding arrangements for the Better Care Fund in 2021 and 2022.

Government launch the National Disability Strategy

The National Disability Strategy sets out the actions the government will take to improve the everyday lives of all disabled people, including specific mention to policies and funding to improve the accessibility of new homes and adaptability of existing housing, and use of assistive technology.

National Planning Policy Framework and National Model Design Code: consultation proposals

The Government has published its draft national design code and announced other measures in response to last year's Building Better, Building Beautiful Commission report and to further consult on its design agenda and national planning framework.

About Housing Made for Everyone

The Housing LIN is pleased to be one the founding members of Housing Made for Everyone (HoME).

National Design Guide

The government’s National Design Guide sets out the characteristics of well-designed places and demonstrates what good design means in practice.

Housing and disabled people: A toolkit for local authorities in England

A toolkit from Habinteg and EHRC advising about best practice for planning, designing, and adapting housing for people with disabilities.

The Hidden Housing Market: A new perspective on the market case for accessible homes

New research report by Habinteg and Papworth Trust highlights the hidden housing market for 1.8m disabled people. Its findings clearly show the demand for accessible housing to rent and buy. Conducted...

Access to and use of buildings (Part M, Building Regulations) Vol 1. Dwellings

This approved document gives guidance for compliance with the Building Regulations for building work carried out in England it amends the Approved Document on Access to and use of buildings introduced in 2015

Towards Accessible Housing: A toolkit for planning policy

This toolkit by Habinteg and TCPA gathers together resources to support local authorities in implementing the new Housing Standards. The contents are divided into 6 useful sections which are aimed at...

Select Committee on National Policy for the Built Environment

The Housing of Lords select committee report asserts the importance of delivering a better built environment and criticises current government policy as unlikely to meet demand for either the quantity...

For information on work undertaken by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation to develop and promote Lifetime Homes, see www.jrf.org.uk/search/site/lifetime%20homes (opens new window)