Equality in Housing The National Policy Context – Brief snap shot. Rhyan Berrigan Policy Officer - Access & Transport

UN Convention of the Rights of People with Disabilities. Governments should ensure disabled people have the right to chose where they live and who they live with. No disabled people should be forced to live somewhere they don’t want to live.

Article 19 - Living independently and being included in the community The equal right of all persons with disabilities to live in the community, with choices equal to others, and shall take effective and appropriate measures to facilitate full enjoyment by persons with disabilities of this right and their full inclusion and participation in the community, including by ensuring that: A.Persons with disabilities have the opportunity to choose their place of residence and where and with whom they live on an equal basis with others and are not obliged to live in a particular living arrangement; B.Persons with disabilities have access to a range of in-home, residential and other community support services, including personal assistance necessary to support living and inclusion in the community, and to prevent isolation or segregation from the community; C.Community services and facilities for the general population are available on an equal basis to persons with disabilities and are responsive to their needs.

National Initiatives Welsh Government – Homes for Wales – A White Paper for Better Lives and Communities. Welsh Government – Framework for Action on Independent Living (which Disability Wales supported). National Assembly for Wales - Communities, Equality and Local Government Committee - Home Adaptations Inquiry.

Welsh Government – Homes for Wales: A White Paper for Better Lives and Communities Published in “ For disabled people of all ages, housing is a key enabler of independent living. Accessible and adapted housing enables people to maintain their independence, remain in their communities and exercise choice in the way they live their lives” “The further development of accessible housing registers and continued investment in housing adaptations to support independence”

Selected aims of the Homes for Wales white paper Helping people to live independently in their own home Review the range of aids and adaptations programmes, to secure further improvements in delivering services, and the contribution they make to independent living and to the work of the NHS and social services. Ensure there is an Accessible Housing Register covering every local authority area, based on good practice and collaborative working. More integrated services and support Ensure that housing needs are considered by Local Service Boards as part of the strategic needs analysis for single integrated plans and that social landlords are engaged in the design and delivery of the plan.

Aims continued Supporting vulnerable people: a new model of delivery Develop appropriately constituted Regional Collaborative Committees involving local government, the third sector and other key partners to deliver the Supporting People Programme. Further develop and implement revised guidance for the Supporting People programme. Promote Equality and Inclusion Implement the commitments in the Welsh Government’s Strategic Equality Plan. Contribute to the housing dimension of the Framework for Action on Independent Living.

Welsh Government – Framework for Action on Independent Living Disability Wales supported the Framework for Action on Independent Living. Which was developed as a result of Disability Wales’ successful Independent Living Now Campaign; which culminated in the creation of the Manifesto for independent living.

How the Framework for Action on Independent Living was developed Independent Living NOW! Campaign ran between April March 2011 Petition for a National Strategy on Independent Living. We raised a petition on the National Assembly’s website in support of this and gathered over 700 signatures! The Manifesto for Independent Living was published March 2011 We supported Welsh Government’s Framework for Action on Independent Living: –Carried out working groups, regional meetings, national steering group –The draft Framework consultation ended in December A revised Framework is due to be published in September 2013.

Framework for Action on Independent Living – one of the key priorities were Accessible Homes In Wales, the legacy of poor design and build quality increases the need for adaptations, assistive technology and other support. Accessible Housing Registers are a means of matching people needing adapted properties to the vacancies available in their area. To work effectively, there needs to be an up to date common register that is shared between landlords and managed actively to meet people’s needs Private sector new-build properties are not usually big enough to accommodate wheelchairs. Older properties can be bigger, cheaper and may be easier to adapt – the hurdle is the cost of adaptation. Problems in finding suitable housing limits the geographical mobility and employment opportunities of many disabled people.

National Assembly for Wales - Communities, Equality and Local Government Committee - Home Adaptations Inquiry Disability Wales submitted written evidence and gave oral evidence in March this year. The Inquiry Report was released just two weeks ago. The Welsh Government looked into the following areas: –Role of the Welsh Government –The Adaptation System –Disabled Facilities Grants –Performance Monitoring (i.e. performance indicators) –Funding and Resourcing Adaptations

Selected Recommendations The Welsh Government (WG) should engage with the WLGA, CHC, Care and Repair and Occupational Therapists to explore the possibility of introducing a single point of entry to the system within each Local Authority area, where such arrangements are not already in place. WG should ensure that adequate information is available on the various aspects of the adaptations system. This should include information clarifying the role and rights of clients in relation to adaptations delivered under DFGs. WG should work with the WLGA and other stakeholders to introduce performance monitoring arrangements for all adaptation services across all tenures, including DFGs, and should ensure that they are accurate and transparent. And should issue clear and detailed guidance on the new performance indicator so that it is interpreted and reported consistently. WG should work with the various agencies involved in the adaptations process to ensure that opportunities to recycle equipment are maximised. WG should make accessible housing registers a statutory requirement.

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