Select committee: Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee

Recommendation 11

Seventh Report - Disabled people in the housing sector Published 24 May 2024 Paragraph 43 Addressed to Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
Recommendation (the committee's words)
The Government should provide funding, in line with the new burdens doctrine, to local authorities to ensure that they can carry out these additional requirements and duties to the best of their ability.

From: Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee, Seventh Report - Disabled people in the housing sector (HC 63), paragraph 43, 24 May 2024

Government response

The government responded to the whole report on 6 March 2025 (deadline 24 July 2024).

Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.

The government "notes the conclusion" of the inquiry, says disabled people "should not face barriers" to suitable housing, and responds to the recommendations with some commitments, some declined actions and several matters left for later announcement.

  • On a mandatory M4(2) accessibility standard, the government "intends to set out its policies on the accessibility of new homes in the near future" and will give details of the necessary technical consultation then.
  • On registers of accessible housing, the government "does not believe that mandating accessible housing registers is an appropriate action", but will "explore if further guidance, or clarification of existing guidance, is needed".
  • On data on M4(2) and M4(3) homes, the government does not intend to require the new collection, saying it wants to reduce burdensome reporting requirements on local authorities.
  • On the Disabled Facilities Grant, it is reviewing the £30,000 upper limit, expects the review "to conclude later in 2025", and "proposes to consult on a new formula during 2025" for allocating funding.

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