​Disabled Scots will lose out if new build homes are not accessible, charity warns

A leading charity is urging the Scottish Government to ensure all new build houses are disabled-friendly.

Leonard Cheshire Disability welcomed last week’s commitment from the government to build 30,000 new affordable homes by 2016 but said these must be accessible for disabled people.

The charity said there is a severe lack of housing across Scotland to meet the needs of disabled people as people are living longer – a situation that is a “time bomb” which needs urgent action to remedy.

Affordable housing is vitally important, but it needs to be available to all those who need it

Its research showed 72% of people with a mobility problem said they do not have an accessible door into their building while 52% said they do not have doors and hallways wide enough for a wheelchair.

Jacq Kelly, the charity’s policy and parliamentary officer, said: “We estimate that Scotland needs 100,000 more disabled-friendly homes to meet demand, despite this, the number of suitable homes has increased by just 305 a year, over 17 years."

At the current rate, it would take 300 years to get the 100,000 disabled-friendly homes the country needs, she said.

Kelly added: “Affordable housing is vitally important, but it needs to be available to all those who need it.

“We’re asking the Scottish Government and local authorities to act now and escalate the rate of progress. No disabled person should be forced to wash in the kitchen sink, or be confined to one room of their home due to a failure in providing truly accessible and disabled-friendly homes.”