Select committee: Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee
Recommendation 17
Seventh Report - Disabled people in the housing sector
Published 24 May 2024
Paragraph 68
Addressed to Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee Disabled people in the housing sector All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Recommendation (the committee's words)
The current provision of local authority support for disabled people seeking to adapt their homes is inconsistent across England. This can result in additional barriers for disabled people as they navigate the DFG process. The Government should expand Foundations’ remit to improve its DFG guidance and self-assessment tools for disabled people, to improve public awareness of the DFG and to support applicants and their advocates as they navigate the process. These updated resources should be developed to account for the specific needs of neurodivergent people.
From: Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee, Seventh Report - Disabled people in the housing sector (HC 63), paragraph 68, 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.