Campaigning for more accessible housing

You can’t open a paper or turn on the TV at the moment without seeing something about the current ‘housing crisis’. And while Aspire doesn’t disagree with much of what is said, to us the real housing crisis is not about affordability or environmental impact. Instead, we’re concerned that the lack of accessible housing in the UK means.

Over just the last few months we’ve worked with dozens of individuals whose lives are being massively hampered by the homes they are in; there’s the young man who has to take a 15 minute bus journey to the local swimming pool every time he wants a shower because his bathroom is inaccessible, for example. And the thirty year old school teacher who spent eighteen months in an old people’s home because she couldn’t find an accessible flat. That these scenarios are happening so regularly is a travesty.

Fortunately, Aspire is looking to change this appalling situation. The government has recently asked for feedback on its proposals for "homes for the future" – naturally, we’ll be making sure that accessible homes are a key component of our response. We’re also looking forward to continuing our discussions with key Members of Parliament, including the Minister for Disabled People and the Housing Ministers and Shadow Ministers.

Our suggestions have received a warm reception so far, but it’s important that these suggestions become integral to the Parties’ policies and so we’ll keep pushing our case. We’ll also be working with other charities who have similar concerns, and using the media to get accessible housing issues into the public eye. It’s going to be a busy year, but the potential rewards are huge.

If you’ve got a story to tell about inaccessible housing, or would like to lend your support to our future campaigning work, drop an email to campaigns@aspire.org.uk

Source - Aspire

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