• The government is consulting now on options to make new homes in England more accessible for older and disabled people.
• The Housing Made for Everyone (HoME) coalition is calling for urgent action to tackle the UK’s accessible housing crisis by raising the mandatory building standards.
• Currently, 91% of homes do not provide the four access features for even the lowest level of accessibility – a home that is ‘visitable’.
• One in five (22%) adults aged 65-69 need help with one or more activities of daily living (such as bathing, cooking or using the toilet unaided). By the time people reach their 80s, this figure rises to more than half (56%).
• Only one new accessible home is planned for every 15 people over 65 by 2030.
• Around 400,000 wheelchair users are estimated to be living in homes that are neither adapted nor accessible/visitable.

The Housing Made for Everyone (HoME) coalition is calling for urgent action to tackle the UK’s acute and growing shortage of accessible homes.

The coalition of charities and housing organisations is urging the public to back their proposal for better homes. The government is now consulting on its long-awaited proposals to raise standards, so that all new homes are built to better meet the needs of current and future generations of older and disabled people.

Individuals and organisations can have their say by responding to the consultation before the deadline of 1 December. It is calling specifically for the government to raise building standards to make the ‘accessible and adaptable’ design standard the mandatory baseline for all new homes (set out in Building Regulations M4 Category 2).

The coalition believes that everyone, no matter their age, background or ability needs a good home. For most people, that means a home that keeps them safe and healthy and enables them to live the life they want at every age.

The government is seeking views via an online survey