Source · Select Committees · Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee
Seventh Report - Disabled people in the housing sector
Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee
HC 63
Published 24 May 2024
Recommendations
6
Deferred
Para 29
Expedite M4(2) technical consultation process by BSR and Department, publishing responses quickly.
Recommendation
It is imperative that the Government’s M4(2) policy commitment is now implemented as soon as possible. If this is not done, thousands of disabled people will continue to be left with their housing needs unmet. Accordingly, we recommend that: • …
Read more
Government Response Summary
The government rejects requiring local authorities to report on new builds completed to M4(2) and M4(3) standards due to imposing a new burden, and it does not address the specific recommendations to expedite the M4(2) technical consultation timeline.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
View Details →
8
Deferred
Para 36
Require local authorities to keep and publish accessibility registers for all social housing stock.
Recommendation
We are concerned that most local authorities do not keep a register of the accessibility of their own housing stock, despite some disabled people living in temporary accommodation for years while waiting for accessible social housing. The Government must require …
Read more
Government Response Summary
The government discusses the importance and funding of the Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) and ongoing reforms, but does not commit to requiring local authorities to keep a register of accessible housing stock, which was the core recommendation.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
View Details →
13
Deferred
Para 52
Review the £30,000 DFG upper limit, considering regional construction costs, and set new regional limits.
Recommendation
The £30,000 upper limit on individual DFG applications is sufficient to cover the cost of most DFG applications. However, the fact that the upper limit has not changed since 2008, despite recent rising construction costs, means the DFG does not …
Read more
Government Response Summary
The government outlines measures to support disabled people in the Private Rented Sector, including existing Equality Act provisions and new ones in the Renters' Rights Bill, but does not address the recommendation to review the £30,000 upper limit for individual Disabled Facilities Grants.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
View Details →
15
Deferred
Simplify the DFG means test by integrating assessment into a reformed social care means test.
Recommendation
The Government must also simplify the means test. The Government should consider including assessment for the DFG as part of a reformed social care means test, as recommended by the External Review in 2018. (Paragraph 58) 32 Disabled people in …
Read more
Government Response Summary
The government notes local authorities already have flexibility with the means test and states it will continue to keep different aspects of the Disabled Facilities Grant, including the means test, under consideration.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
View Details →
Conclusions (5)
4
Conclusion
Deferred
Para 27
Moreover, it is unclear why the Department did not seek to launch the further ‘technical consultation’ soon after its July 2022 announcement of its M4(2) policy change. The delay to implementation continues to afflict the daily lives of thousands of disabled people who are searching for accessible new build homes, …
Government Response Summary
The government deflects from the question about the delay in the M4(2) technical consultation, instead stating that local authorities are responsible for assessing housing needs and managing their stock. It rejects mandating accessible housing registers but will explore further guidance for local authorities on providing accessibility information.
5
Conclusion
Deferred
The Building Safety Regulator’s (BSR) timeline to run a full technical consultation process for six months, starting on an undecided date between May and July 2024, would make it unlikely that the M4(2) baseline policy could be implemented until spring 2025, at the earliest. This is an excessively long timeline …
Government Response Summary
The government deflects from the recommendation concerning the excessively long timeline for the M4(2) technical consultation, instead focusing on the Private Rented Sector (PRS) Database being developed under the Renters’ Rights Bill to provide accessibility information for tenants.
9
Conclusion
Deferred
Para 39
The proposed new Property Portal presents a compelling opportunity to improve information about the accessibility of properties in the private rented sector. This would provide a clear benefit to disabled people. Once the Renters (Reform) Bill comes into force, the Secretary of State must use its provisions to require landlords …
Government Response Summary
The government response reviews the suitability of the Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) upper limit and expects the review to conclude later in 2025, but does not address the recommendation to use the Renters (Reform) Bill to require landlords to include accessibility information in a new property portal.
10
Conclusion
Deferred
Para 42
We are surprised that the Department does not hold any data on the number of new builds completed to the M4(2) and M4(3) standards in England, especially given that local authorities are already required to provide data on the supply of new homes to central Government annually. The Department must …
Government Response Summary
The government discusses local authorities' flexibility with DFG funding and means testing, and states it will continue to keep aspects of the grant under consideration, but does not address the recommendation to require data collection and publication on new homes built to M4(2) and M4(3) standards.
12
Conclusion
Deferred
Para 49
The Government-commissioned External Review of the Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) in 2018 made several appropriate and valuable recommendations on DFG funding, eligibility, and the delivery process, based on comprehensive evidence. It is therefore deeply disappointing that the Government has not published a response to the Review and has not acted …
Government Response Summary
The government states it continues to fund Foundations as a national body for DFGs and will work with them on guidance and accessible information, but does not provide the requested full response to the 2018 DFG External Review or a timeline for its recommendations.