Causes of Delays during Housing Adaptation for Healthy Aging in the UK

This study, published in the Housing and Health special issue of the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, investigates the timelines across the key stages of the adaptation process - including referral, allocation, assessment, funding and installation - and examines the main causes of delays in current practice.

The study investigated the timelines for the delivery of housing adaptations in local authorities across the UK. Its conclusions found the average waiting time for the whole adaptation process from referral to completion was unacceptably long, with significant delays occurring at all stages, especially during funding approval and installation.

It identifies the need for extra resources, including funding and staff, to meet rising demand for adaptations for an ageing population as well as closer coordination between partners and a review of bureaucratic procedures to give local authorities more flexibility in delivering services.