Changing Places Toilets: Capital Funding

Daniel Francis Excerpts

Thursday 16th July 2026 Westminster Hall

[Daniel Francis (Bexleyheath and Crayford) (Lab) [R]]

I beg to move,

That this House has considered capital funding for Changing Places toilets.

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Sir Alec. I am grateful to the Backbench Business Committee for granting this debate. At the outset, I declare an interest as the chair of the all-party parliamentary groups for access to disability equipment and for wheelchair users, and I am also the parent of a child with quadriplegic cerebral palsy who relies on Changing Places toilets.

Changing Places toilets are designed for people with profound and multiple disabilities and their carers, who need space and equipment—such as ceiling track hoists and height-adjustable, adult-sized changing beds—that a standard accessible toilet would not provide. Almost 250,000 people in the United Kingdom need personal assistance to use the toilet or change incontinence pads, including people with profound and multiple learning disabilities, spinal injuries and a number of other complex needs.

Currently, the number of active and registered Changing Places toilets stands at 2,665, which has greatly increased from the 140 available back in 2007. Last year, there were 99 registrations of new Changing Places toilets across the UK, including in Madame Tussauds here in London, in five Lloyds Banking Group locations and at three National Trust locations.

Back in 2005, the Changing Places consortium was established as a group of individuals and organisations that support the rights of people with disabilities. At the heart of the consortium’s members is PAMIS, a voluntary organisation based in Dundee that supports parents of children and adults with profound and multiple learning disabilities, alongside the Centre for Accessible Environments.

I pay tribute to the late Loretta Lamb, the founder and chief executive officer of PAMIS, along with the team of staff and volunteers behind Changing Places toilets, led by Jenny, Karen and Fiona. I also want to highlight Changing Places Awareness Day, which is this coming Sunday 19 July. Campaigners have worked tirelessly to raise awareness and push for greater inclusion for disabled people, their families and carers.

Changing Places toilets have been vital for my family. I am the father of twins, and one of our daughters has quadriplegic cerebral palsy. She is a wheelchair user and unable to tell us when she needs the toilet; she is still in nappies at almost 13 years of age. Given her height and weight, a changing bed is essential to changing her with dignity. Prior to the roll-out of Changing Places toilets in recent years, I had the indignity of changing my child on a bench, behind a bush or on the floor of our wheelchair-accessible van; unfortunately, it occasionally still happens today. Changing Places toilets are vital to giving her some dignity.

The roll-out of Changing Places toilets and the Changing Places map facility allows families like ours to plan their days out, trips and travel arrangements, knowing where there will be a toilet. As a result of additional funding from the Department for Transport, a new journey planner feature has been launched as part of the Changing Places toilet map, which allows increased functionality for planning, saving and downloading travel routes with Changing Places toilets. Both the map and the journey planner have been life-changing for many families, allowing them access to places and days out and enabling them to plan routes around availability at service stations, which has greatly increased in the last 10 years, train stations, seaside destinations or museums. They allow both my children to have the same dignity and respect as other children out there.

When I held an Adjournment debate on this subject last July, I reported that the number of registered facilities at that point was 2,609. It is positive that that number continues to grow, but that growth is slowing. Much as I support my party and my Government, that is in many respects because of the end of the previous scheme in March 2025. That is why I continue to call for a form of funding, through the reintroduction of a capital grant, to be brought forward to allow organisations, companies and charities to install new Changing Places toilets and to bring existing Changing Places toilets up to current standard. In this building, our Changing Places toilet is really not up to a modern standard. I used it a few weeks ago with my daughter—it is a back-breaker.

An expansion of capital funding for Changing Places toilets would lead to people with profound disabilities accessing more opportunities and more families and individuals contributing to our hospitality businesses, theme parks, leisure facilities and sports grounds—the list goes on.

There was, of course, a previous fund. In 2019, the then Conservative Government ran a consultation on the proposal to increase the provision of Changing Places toilets. Following that consultation, the Government announced that the provision of Changing Places toilets in new public buildings above a certain size would be compulsory, and that was brought into force on 1 January 2021. I am very grateful that the then local government Minister, the right hon. Member for Richmond and Northallerton (Rishi Sunak), has joined us this afternoon. I absolutely accept that he was fundamental in getting the law changed and ensuring that the consultation was held.

In July 2021, the then Government launched a £30.5 million fund to expand the provision of Changing Places toilets. From that fund, almost 500 new facilities were installed. I know from experience that there has been a profound change in the last 10 years that has made travelling up and down the country much easier. Near where we are standing today, people can access Changing Places toilets at the National Portrait Gallery, the National Gallery, Ikea in Oxford Street or Waterloo Station, which did not have them 10 years ago.

The fund closed in March 2025. Although I acknowledge that changes to building regulations ensure that facilities continue to be installed in new buildings, I retain concerns that older buildings would greatly benefit from having a Changing Places toilet installed. For example, in April this year, one of those older buildings—St Paul’s cathedral—opened a Changing Places facility, giving visitors who require specialist toilets the ability to access them. I understand that there is now such a facility at Blackburn cathedral and that there will shortly be one at Lambeth Palace.

I go back to what I said about motorways. In November 2018, the DFT announced that it was partnering with Muscular Dystrophy UK to expand the provision of Changing Places toilets at service stations. We now have 54 Changing Places toilets at service stations across the UK. That has been a huge step forward in allowing families like mine more freedom and options when planning their journeys up and down the country.

I am calling for an official Changing Places app. Currently, people can access a map on the main Changing Places Consortium website, but an official Changing Places app with identification mapping would allow users to quickly identify where toilets are while on journeys. I have said this many times during the passage of the Railways Bill and many times in the Chamber: I believe that Great British Railways should bring forward a national transport accessibility app that shows the availability of level access, station accessibility, live travel lift information, as the TfL Go app has, and locations of Changing Places toilets.

A new form of capital funding would give businesses and local authorities the opportunity and encouragement to bring forward more Changing Places facilities. A number of hon. Friends have identified locations where they believe Changing Places toilets could be installed. For instance, my hon. Friend the Member for Rushcliffe (James Naish), who sadly cannot be with us this afternoon, has spoken to me at length about support for a national fund. In his local authority, Rushcliffe borough council, he has been looking for two years to install a Changing Places toilet facility in West Bridgford, the town centre, and is struggling to locate the funding to do so. I ask the Minister to outline what consideration the Department has given to the merits of bringing forward a new capital fund.

I turn now to the importance of maintaining Changing Places toilets. I mentioned last year that, in Bexleyheath town centre, we had to close a Changing Places toilet because of the vandalism it was receiving, with people living in it and dealing drugs in it. I will continue to call for a greater system beyond the current radar key system. Radar keys are openly available in shops and on the internet and there are too many occasions when Changing Places toilets are vandalised as a result of misuse.

I thank the Chamber engagement team for their hard work in organising a survey for the public to share their experiences of using Changing Places toilets and the impact on people’s lives. I thank the more than 100,000 people who have taken the time to answer the survey over the last week. I wanted to read a few of the responses. One respondent said:

“My daughter is severely disabled. Our first experience of Changing Places toilets was at Center Parcs…I was amazed and overwhelmed with emotions when I saw how I could finally change my daughter comfortably and how excited she was when she realised this was made for people like her.”

Another said:

“My son’s opportunities to go to new places or anywhere over a certain distance is dependent on the availability of Changing Places…We work hard all week and want the same opportunities other families have to go out as a family and do interesting things. Without Changing Places we’re trapped at home.”

Other respondents’ experiences highlighted that there is still a lack of available and well-maintained facilities across the country. One said:

“Without access to an appropriate facility, I am left with impossible choices: ending outings early, avoiding certain venues altogether, or changing my daughter on the floor of an accessible toilet, which is neither hygienic, safe nor dignified.”

I have read through the responses to the survey, and there was a lot of appreciation for Changing Places toilets and the benefits they bring to the lives of severely disabled people and their families. There are also, however, a number of horror stories of people’s experiences where facilities were not available or where they have not been maintained to a suitable standard. I have shared one from my constituency; I could tell of others that have been vandalised or locked. On one occasion, in Brighton city centre, a toilet was locked after 4 pm in the winter. On another occasion, a seaside town locked it from October to March—but people still visit then.

A new round of funding would ensure that Changing Places toilets are maintained and held to a good standard, that training is provided, and that new facilities are opened across the country. Every family deserves to be able to go on days out and partake in everyday activities.

I want to talk about the Scottish Government. They have a fund managed by Inspiring Scotland in partnership with PAMIS that is part of a £10 million investment in the last and current financial years into planning and installing 150 additional facilities across Scotland. I understand that the fund continues to be open for applications, which can be found on the Inspiring Scotland website. I look forward to seeing more facilities opening, benefiting the people and economy of Scotland.

I want briefly to talk about hospitals, although I know that that is not in the Minister’s remit. Changing Places toilets are important for people when they are out and about, but also for people in hospital. My daughter is served by four different London hospitals. In a hospital setting, one would expect to have people with a profound disability who need to use such facilities, but there is variable information about which hospitals do and do not provide them and where they are located within those hospitals.

I submitted a written question to inquire about the number of Changing Places hospitals. Unfortunately, no assessment has been made and the Department of Health does not hold that information, so it appears that more work needs to be done on that. There is national guidance provided to the NHS on designated sanitary spaces in healthcare settings and designed facilities to meet the needs of disabled people—but without clear provision of toilets, needs are not met for people accessing hospital appointments. In 2019, it was estimated that the average cost of installing a Changing Places toilet in a hospital was between £25,000 and £35,000. I ask that the Minister continue conversations across Government so that we can look at installation in hospitals.

I would like to ask the Minister to respond to five points. Will the Government look at introducing a new capital fund for older and smaller venues? Regulations that require a new stadium or shopping centre over a certain size to have a Changing Places toilet have been brought in. I am looking long and hard at finding a facility for a Changing Places toilet in Crayford, the secondary town in my constituency. The second largest Sainsbury’s in the country is in Crayford, so I am trying to work with Sainsbury’s to provide one there. In many town centres, hon. Members may be able to find a venue, but they cannot always find the funding.

Will the Minister work with the Changing Places consortium to upgrade facilities of the older standard, such as the one in the Members’ Lobby, to the current one? Will she commit to working with other Government Departments not only for hospitals, but for railway stations? The nationalisation of the railways presents us with a real opportunity to look at our larger railway stations. As we now have a Changing Places toilet at London Waterloo, I hope we will get one at London Charing Cross very soon. There are opportunities there for people’s travel options.

How are we monitoring larger planning applications under the regulations passed by the previous Government to ensure that the facilities are correctly installed and maintained? Will the Government continue to work with the Changing Places consortium on more modern software, so that we can have an app and make it easier for people to plan their journeys and identify where Changing Places toilets are located? I look forward to hearing colleagues’ contributions and the Minister’s comments on those points.

[Sir Alec Shelbrooke (in the Chair)]

Colleagues may be aware that our next speaker is recovering from an operation. I am content for the right hon. Member to deliver his speech from a sedentary position, if he would like to do so.

--- Later in debate ---

[Nesil Caliskan]

I thank the hon. Lady for making that point. My hon. Friend the Member for Bexleyheath and Crayford and I have spent a long time in local government, so we know all too well that statutory services are under huge pressure and that choices have to be made. I accept the argument that if funding is not ringfenced, things sometimes do not get done. However, this Government are committed to funding local authorities well, and we have done that through the spending review.

We are also committed to saying to local authorities, “You are best placed to make decisions for your area and assess what is needed. We will support you and encourage you to make the right decisions.” It is a balancing act, but debates like this give us an opportunity to reinforce the important message from Government that access to facilities and public toilets for all who need them is a crucial part of what local government should be doing.

[Daniel Francis]

As the Minister said, we were friends for many years in London local government prior to being elected to this place. I want to make two points. First, there is the issue of the Changing Places that have been provided in recent years and the amount of information out there about them. In the last week, I have written to a number of providers about cases where the money was provided or the facilities were set up under the new regulations, yet nobody has advertised that they exist, or they have not been made available. Would the Minister commit to working with me to write to local authorities to remind them to get that information out there?

Secondly, on cross working, as I said earlier, that needs to be provided not just by local government but by the Department of Health and Social Care and the Department for Transport as well. I very much hope the Minister is in the same position next week, working to secure a meeting for me to see how we can continue that spend across Departments.

[Nesil Caliskan]

My hon. Friend is right to highlight the important point he made earlier. I was coming on to say that of course I absolutely welcome a dialogue with him, but also with the consortium that has been referenced in the debate, which does such good work already. I am happy to meet with the consortium myself, but I am also confident that MHCLG and all current or future Ministers would welcome that engagement and dialogue. My hon. Friend is right that these sorts of facilities are successfully delivered only if there is a cross-governmental commitment.

Regulation and funding are part of that challenge, but we also need a joint recognition of the challenges in our communities to be able to see things delivered. The consortium is clearly playing a valuable role in articulating those challenges. It is absolutely right that MHCLG has that engagement and I am confident that it will going forward. I am happy to discuss with my hon. Friend any letters, correspondence or meetings that we need to have as a Department in the coming weeks and months to make sure that we can continue to make the case for these facilities.

Let me address the point about specific Government Departments and the opportunities that we face now because of Government initiatives and changes, which we do not want to lose, so that we can improve facilities for those who have needs. I was shocked to hear that so many NHS hospitals do not have the provision that we are talking about. That is not acceptable, and I think that all our constituents would be surprised to hear that. I am very happy to take that away and speak to colleagues in other Departments; I think they, too, will be surprised. It is a good example of where we need cross-governmental working, and I welcome the input from Members on how we might be able to do that.

I recognise the important points made about transport. The Government’s commitment to accessible transport is demonstrated in the spending that we have committed to the railways. Because of that, there is an opportunity to make sure they are accessible, and our transport hubs will play a key part in that. I will take those two specific points away.

I recognise the point that my hon. Friend made on modernising software and maps. A needs map, if you will, feels like quite an obvious thing that we could do, which would really make a difference to constituents across the country who simply do not know if there is a facility. An ability to map out the gaps could also give the necessary encouragement to Government and local authorities to allocate the moneys that are required to set up facilities.

I recognise the strength of feeling across the House in this very important debate on ensuring that public spaces are accessible, inclusive and supportive of people’s dignity and independence. I pay tribute to my good and hon. Friend the Member for Bexleyheath and Crayford. The very best of politics are people who just get things done. I saw that for many years in local government, when he got things done, and he gets things done as a Member of Parliament too, but nobody who knows him will say that he is a soft touch in any way. He is formidable and effective. He is my hon. Friend, but he will tell me if we are doing something wrong as a Government, as he has.

--- Later in debate ---

[Daniel Francis]

As the Minister knows, I will hold her to account on this issue and continue to pursue it. I thank her very much for the commitments that she has given today that we can continue to pursue. I thank the hon. Members for Chester South and Eddisbury (Aphra Brandreth), for Bath (Wera Hobhouse) and for Strangford (Jim Shannon), my hon. Friend the Member for Broxtowe (Juliet Campbell) and the right hon. Member for Richmond and Northallerton (Rishi Sunak) for their contributions and for outlining family experiences that I know only too well. This is an issue that I knew very little about 10 years ago; but when you start on that path as the parent of a disabled child, you find out these things.

I became a campaigner on this cause during my time in local government and will continue to campaign all the time that I am in this House. We are very thankful in this country for the progress that we have made on this matter; we need to remember that there are more Changing Places toilets in this country than in the whole of the European Union. If people travel abroad, the real progress that we have made is apparent. Certainly, in some of our neighbouring countries, it is possible to count on one hand how many Changing Places there are in the entire country. We have made great progress, but there is still more to be done.

I thank the right hon. Member for Richmond and Northallerton for paying tribute to Zack Kerr. I know that he continues to lobby my hon. Friend the Member for Hyndburn (Sarah Smith), in whose constituency he lives, on this matter. He and I have written to each other on this issue, and I know about his great involvement in the campaign on motorway service stations and the great credit that he rightly should be taking for that. I again thank all Members for their contributions today.

There is that piece of work to do. The Changing Places Consortium has a map, and it is looking at how we roll that out. However, there are also gaps in provision, particularly for those in more rural constituencies. If my hon. Friend the Member for Congleton (Sarah Russell) had been here today, she would have spoken about the real gaps in her rural constituency.

There is also the issue of how we bring that information together; in terms of accessibility today, much more so than 10 years ago, we can do that. I will push for us to sit down and look at how we bring Government Departments together. I will also go back to local government across the country and make sure that it is doing all it can, not only to provide new facilities, but to advertise those that it already has.

Houses in Multiple Occupation

Daniel Francis Excerpts

Thursday 25th June 2026 Commons Chamber

[Emma Lewell]

The hon. Member pre-empts what I am going to talk about later in my speech. I am also going to explain what we actually did in South Shields: residents and I forced our council to do exactly what he suggests.

The character and history of our housing is being demolished before our eyes. Housing is being chopped up by greedy developers who want to make money off the back of vulnerable people. These are streets I have known my whole life, and it is heartbreaking that this has been allowed to happen. It is impacting the quality of people’s daily life, house prices and community cohesion. Residents and I are totally fed up of it. We spent years working together to try to get the council to stop new applications and increase inspections. Every single time, we were tied in knots when it came to the legislation, and were told, “Nothing can be done. It’s just the way it is.” Last year, on 3 November, I presented a parliamentary petition on behalf of the people of South Shields demanding action, and that the council use the powers that it had to stop the proliferation of HMOs. I also asked in that petition for the Government to strengthen legislation in relation to the monitoring of HMOs, so that the badly run ones could be closed down quicker. Two days later, the council decided to implement what we were asking for: a borough-wide article 4 direction. That meant that regardless of the size of a property, planning approval would be needed.

[Daniel Francis (Bexleyheath and Crayford) (Lab)]

I thank my hon. Friend for securing the debate. We have an article 4 direction in the London borough of Bexley—I am one of the borough’s MPs. However, under the Charities Act 2011, charities running temporary accommodation for people suffering from drug or alcohol abuse, or a mental disorder, and registered providers do not need that permission. In my caseload, I see landlords joining with charities to put people in that accommodation who are not in those categories. In that way, they circumvent the restrictions in place. Does she agree that we need to ask the Government to look at how, following an article 4 direction, some landlords use that restriction to further circumvent regulations?

[Emma Lewell]

I completely agree. In South Shields, developers are doing exactly the same; they are getting around the article 4 restriction. Some of them have started to create “Airbnbs”; they are HMOs, but developers refer to them as Airbnbs in law, and are getting away with it once again.

We had an article 4 direction in force in parts of my constituency, just as my hon. Friend does in his, but that was after we were already saturated with HMOs in other parts. Prior to the article 4 direction, a property housing up to five residents in most areas of the local authority did not need planning permission, but that does not necessarily mean that new applications will now go to a planning committee; a request has to be made for it to do so, via me, as the MP, or an elected councillor.

It should not have taken years of meetings, letters, parliamentary questions and a petition to get the council to act. It worries me how many other areas are not using the article 4 direction. Even when applications have been refused, developers are appealing them. It cannot be right that hundreds of residents’ voices are being ignored in favour of developers who do not live in our area. Much to my dismay, South Shields is actually advertised on developer websites as the place to go to set up an HMO. My message to those developers is that it is not the place to come to set up their HMOs. We will not be treated in that way, nor will we allow vulnerable people to be.

I have been made aware that there is a statutory instrument before this House that will mean that local councillors and MPs will no longer be able to call in planning applications for HMOs. That means that local people will literally have zero say in what happens in their neighbourhoods or streets—or to the house next door. Instead, officers in the local authority will make the decisions. That is outrageously undemocratic. I cannot believe that the Government think it is acceptable to discount the voices of entire communities in favour of developers who do not live in the area, and who then delegate important decisions to officers, who often do not live in the area either. It is a really crude way to address the housing crisis, and it will completely fracture communities. It also places council planning officers in a difficult position with the communities they serve.

As for those HMOs already in existence that are badly run, the licensing regime is supposed to ensure that certain standards are adhered to. However, since the inspection that goes with the licence can happen only every five years—at the renewal of that licence—the system is not very robust. We can all agree that if something is not inspected for five years, a lot can go on. Licences must meet mandatory conditions around fire safety, minimum room size and provision of amenities. Crucially, landlords are supposed to pass the fit and proper person test, a principle that is open to wide and broad interpretation. In South Shields, we have seen that test simply not work in practice.

One of our former guest houses was being used illegally as an HMO. Residents were quite clear with me, the police and anyone who would listen that it was being used for prostitution and drug drops. That was after the landlord had already received a significant fine for poor management of a previous HMO. Another HMO was opened by landlords who had previous convictions for letting properties with cannabis farms in them. It would appear that it is almost impossible to fail the fit and proper person test.

The Minister is knowledgeable, and is known for being thoroughly across his brief, but the Government’s response to my petition and questions has been a little lacklustre. They stated that

“Local authorities already have planning powers to limit the proliferation of small HMOs”,

and that the Government keep the powers to regulate them under constant review. Will the Minister explain to me when the Department last thoroughly reviewed this dire situation that is damaging our communities? Is he willing to conduct a full review, and to take steps to collate the relevant data that the Department was unable to provide me with? If we do not know the size of the problem, it is difficult to take steps to solve it.

Will the Minister ensure that licensing is strengthened, and that powers for revoking licences are much stronger? I also ask that he revokes the SI that is currently before this House. It will strip our constituents of their ability to exercise their democratic right to object to planning proposals that directly affect their neighbourhood. My constituents and their views matter.

We in South Shields love where we live. We get on well with most of our neighbours. We are proud of our history, our heritage and our buildings. The people of South Shields will always have me, their MP, by their side when they say, “We do not want any more HMOs in South Shields.” We want the existing HMOs that are causing problems to be closed down, through the introduction of robust and enforceable licensing requirements. After years of trying to get someone to act, we are pleading with the Government to take some action, once and for all.

Local Government Finance

Daniel Francis Excerpts

Wednesday 17th December 2025 Commons Chamber

[Alison McGovern]

I thank my hon. Friend for raising that point, which is very apposite given the effects of climate change and other things. I am sure that the fire Minister, my hon. Friend the Member for Chester North and Neston (Samantha Dixon), will have heard what she said, and we will all work together to make sure it is addressed.

[Daniel Francis (Bexleyheath and Crayford) (Lab)]

Five years ago, the Conservative-controlled council in the London borough of Bexley found itself in such a dire situation that it sought a capitalisation order, made 15% of staff redundant and had to sell a building because it could not even fund the redundancy notices. [Interruption.] For the Conservative Members chuntering, that is a real example of there being “no money left”. Will the Minister contrast the announcement she has made today with the approach taken by the previous Government?

[Alison McGovern]

I thank my hon. Friend for being such a champion for his constituents, and for making sure that their voice is heard in the decisions we are taking. The situation he describes was chaotic and, as he said, people paid the price for that in their job security and in the services we all rely on. The difference is that we are taking a long-term approach, with a multi-year settlement, and funding according to deprivation means that where the need is greatest, the money will follow.

Electoral Resilience

Daniel Francis Excerpts

Tuesday 16th December 2025 Commons Chamber

[Steve Reed]

The review will certainly have the freedom to be fully independent, because that is important if we are to have confidence in its findings, but it will be forward looking; there will be no relitigating of previous elections. Although we know, not least from the Nathan Gill case, that there have been attempts by malign foreign actors to interfere in British democracy, there have been no findings that the outcomes of any elections to date were affected by malign foreign interference. The point of the review is to ensure that we maintain safeguards that are robust enough to protect future elections from malign foreign interference.

[Daniel Francis (Bexleyheath and Crayford) (Lab)]

I echo colleagues’ comments regarding social media sites. In Bexleyheath and Crayford, we have seen more and more examples of anonymous users, particularly on Facebook, spreading disinformation not just at election time, but also to undermine trust and faith in public bodies outside election time. As well as the review, will the Secretary of State give us assurances about how we can continue to work with colleagues across Government to look at these issues, and at how foreign interference is playing its part in them?

[Steve Reed]

My hon. Friend speaks to a very real threat not just to our democracy, but to our national security, from foreign financial interference. We are all aware of bots and the role they seek to play in influencing the views of electors in elections. That is a function of foreign financial interference, and it will be in scope of the review.

Houses in Multiple Occupation: Planning Consent

Daniel Francis Excerpts

Tuesday 4th November 2025 Westminster Hall

[Steve Yemm]

I agree with the hon. Member, but we need to get the balance right between the failing landlords and the very many good landlords we see.

[Daniel Francis (Bexleyheath and Crayford) (Lab)]

I thank my hon. Friend for bringing forward this debate and for the recommendations he has made. In the London borough of Bexley, we have an article 4 direction, but we are beginning to see landlords setting up charities and housing associations that do not appear to comply with the ethos of such organisations, simply to get around the rules. They do not then require planning permission, as we have recently seen in Highfield Avenue in Northumberland Heath. Does my hon. Friend agree that we also need to look at landlords setting up those organisations to get around the rules?

[Steve Yemm]

As my hon. Friend would expect, I am sympathetic to that suggestion. However, that is not an experience I share, because I have a local authority that makes virtually no use of article 4. Certainly, if people are circumventing it, there is clearly a case for reform there as well.

To conclude, my overall message is that we need to think about how we reform article 4 to make it easier to justify, quicker to implement and fairer to landlords and residents. It should also be anchored in local decision making, rather than just about top-down approval. And we must ensure that our councils are funded properly to undertake compliance.

All we are really asking for are the tools to protect our towns and make sure that every street remains a place where people can live, grow and thrive together. Let us act now, trust councils and residents and make sure that planning policy works for our people, not against them.

Property Service Charges

Daniel Francis Excerpts

Thursday 30th October 2025 Commons Chamber

[Daniel Francis (Bexleyheath and Crayford) (Lab)]

I pay tribute to the hon. Member for Reigate (Rebecca Paul) for securing today’s debate and setting out the deep concerns about property service charges that many of us hear about from our constituents.

Since being elected, I have received countless emails from constituents across Bexleyheath, Crayford and Slade Green who are struggling with rising service charges, lack of transparency and poor communication from managing agents. In the words of a constituent who lives in a development where the service charge has increased from £1,800 a year to £3,200 a year:

“We honestly don’t have a clue what we are paying for.”

Others describe themselves as “cash cows” and speak of

“financial hardship to those trapped in their clutches”.

One constituent, a pensioner, had to borrow money from her adult children, and she is now considering selling her car if another unexpected bill arrives. Another, who asked to spread an additional bill over monthly payments, was told that she would be charged £60 for the trouble.

I have been holding public meetings with residents across my constituency this year to discuss these issues. The meetings have seen large turnouts and residents understandably at the end of their tether. I accept that some increases in service charges can be explained by rising insurance costs, building safety costs and other economic factors, but other items on service charge bills beggar belief: £1,000 a year for CCTV, when there is no CCTV; service charges for a gym that had not been built; service charges for a 24/7 concierge service that operates from 7 am to 7 pm; and £5,000 a year to empty one dog bin that members of the public, living outside of the estate, are using on a communal open space. Despite those costs, maintenance oftens remains poor.

I will focus on one example: the Eastside Quarter development in Bexleyheath, on the site of our former council or civic offices built a few years ago. The development was originally managed by DJC, which was then bought by FirstPort, which has been relieved of its duties and replaced by a new managing agent. The directors of the management company took action to remove FirstPort in 2024 due to concerns about performance levels and a lack of financial transparency, which was raised by residents.

FirstPort was responsible for producing audited accounts for the years 2022, 2023 and 2024, but in the most recent correspondence I have received it failed to do so. As a result, the developer is legally pursuing those accounts at their cost. FirstPort was unable to provide any funds on account to the new managing agent. In correspondence to me, the new managing agent stated that the service charge bank account was empty and that many suppliers were owed substantial sums, with many of them having withdrawn services as a result. Continuing management on the estate was possible only because the developer provided substantial funding to the new managing agent to enable it to pay suppliers.

I have seen similar issues on Talehangers Close in Bexleyheath. At Vickers Green in Crayford, where FirstPort has attended a public meeting and where I believe we are making some progress, I have seen that some of the fault lies—in my view—with the local authority, which agreed a planning development back in 2009 in which residents took on responsibility for the roads, the lighting and the public space, which is then costed back to the residents.

I welcome the Government’s consultation on plans to strengthen protections over charges and services and hope that they will bring forward measures to support my constituents. I was proud to sponsor the Managing Agents (Regulation) Bill of my hon. Friend the Member for Uxbridge and South Ruislip (Danny Beales), and I support calls from across the Chamber for the need for clear managing agent standards and regulation. I welcome the Minister’s comments on these matters and the measures to be brought forward in secondary legislation. I support the Government’s work in this area, but I will continue to press for further action to empower residents and deal with service charges to protect residents across the Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency.

Changing Places Toilets

Daniel Francis Excerpts

Tuesday 22nd July 2025 Commons Chamber

[Daniel Francis (Bexleyheath and Crayford) (Lab)]

I am grateful for the opportunity to open this debate on a subject that I care deeply about. Last Saturday, 19 July, was Changing Places Awareness Day. It is therefore an honour to have secured this debate and to be able to pay tribute to the campaign organisation Changing Places in its 20th year, and in a week when it has worked to remind the nation of the importance of its campaign. During this time, it has worked relentlessly to seek provision for the quarter of a million people in the UK who have for so long had no public access to accessible toilet facilities, and for their families and carers.

Changing Places toilets enable anyone, regardless of their disability, to go to the shops, attend hospital appointments, enjoy community life, socialise and travel. Many of us in this place and, indeed, across the UK take this basic necessity and right for granted every day.

[David Williams (Stoke-on-Trent North) (Lab)]

My friend Denise Deakin campaigned to get more Changing Places toilets 20 years ago, so it would be remiss of me not to mention her in this debate. Over the weekend, I spoke to Faye from Talke and Jane from Burslem, in my constituency, and they told me that the difference such toilets make is life-changing. One said, “For me and my family, it’s the difference between living your life or closing down your world.” Does my hon. Friend agree that we have to do all we can to enhance and get more of these facilities across the whole of the country?

[Daniel Francis]

Absolutely. As I will turn to, I know that at first hand as the parent of a child with cerebral palsy. The growth of Changing Places means that it is making an impact, but the fact is that we need more of these toilets across the country.

[Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)]

I commend the hon. Gentleman for bringing forward this debate. I spoke to him beforehand to get an idea of what he was trying to achieve, and I want to congratulate him on his campaign—well done! Every one of us in our constituency wishes we had someone pushing as hard as he is with his campaign. I say that because in Northern Ireland we have only 1.4 Changing Places toilets per 100,000 people, which means we rank the second lowest in the UK after London. The hon. Gentleman is doing so much here, and we have a lot to learn. Some 7,000 people in Northern Ireland require additional room for assistance and support when using public restroom facilities. Does the hon. Gentleman agree that, given that this issue impacts thousands across the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, we must ensure that enough Changing Places toilets are provided in all nations for all people with disabilities?

[Daniel Francis]

Absolutely, and I thank the hon. Member. As I will come on to say, we have seen such growth, particularly in central London, but that needs to be replicated across the United Kingdom.

Access to a Changing Places toilet allows anyone, regardless of their access needs or disability, to use a toilet with dignity, privacy and hygienically.

[Rachel Taylor (North Warwickshire and Bedworth) (Lab)]

Does my hon. Friend agree that accessible toilets keep people out longer, encourage spending, make towns more inclusive, and are critical for retail, tourism and local growth? When councils close them, disabled people and young families just stay at home. Does he agree that it is short-sighted of the Conservative council in North Warwickshire to fail to fulfil its promise to reopen accessible toilets in Atherstone town centre? We need more Changing Places toilets up and down this country so that everyone, regardless of their ability or who their children are, can make the most of their days out.

[Daniel Francis]

Absolutely, and I thank my hon. Friend for those comments. Again, I will come on to talk about a toilet that was closed in my own constituency and the impact that has. I will try to make some progress for a moment.

Changing Places toilets are specifically designed for people with profound and multiple disabilities and their carers, who need more space and equipment than a standard accessible toilet provides. The features include height-adjustable adult-sized changing benches, ceiling track hoists and space for multiple carers, ensuring a safe and dignified experience.

The Changing Places consortium was established 20 years ago, as I have said, and at the heart of its campaign, which was initiated by the late Loretto Lambe, the founder and chief executive of PAMIS—Promoting a More Inclusive Society—was the aim to ensure the growth of Changing Places across the country. I wish to pay tribute to the work of Changing Places staff and volunteers, led by Jenny Miller and Karen Hoe, and their vital support in ensuring this debate could be brought to the House.

Currently, the total number of active and registered Changing Places toilets is 2,609 spanning the UK and servicing leisure centres, city and town centres, shopping centres, venues, hospitals, transport hubs, stadiums and attractions. Last year, 414 new Changing Places were installed across the UK, the highest number of annual registrations ever.

[Jen Craft (Thurrock) (Lab)]

I want to add a personal note of thanks to my hon. Friend for being such an outstanding advocate for families such as ours. We share a strong union on that point. Does he agree that it is not enough just to have a Changing Places facility, because it is also important for staff in those areas to have had training so that they know how to direct people to it? I reflected on that the other weekend when we went to a splash park, having seen that it has a Changing Places facility, which was amazing. However, when we asked the person opening the café, who allowed us to go in, how we could access the Changing Places facility, they just did not know, which made it inaccessible. Does he agree that it is so important that training is given to staff where there is a Changing Places facility, so that they can adequately direct people to it?

--- Later in debate ---

[Daniel Francis]

I agree absolutely with my hon. Friend. We work very closely together on these issues, as parents of disabled children. I will turn to such training in relation to some of my own horror stories in due course.

In May, PAMIS announced that it is updating its Changing Places practical guidance, a resource that helps support the design and management of Changing Places toilets. I think I missed out that there were 799 toilets 10 years ago, so there has been significant growth since that time.

I should also note the changes made by the previous Government when they amended the Building Regulations 2010, under which it is now compulsory for some new large buildings to have Changing Places toilets installed in them. In addition, a Changing Places toilets fund of £30.5 million was made available in 2023, which has provided 600 Changing Places across England.

I have seen the real impact that that growth has had in London and the home counties as a south-east London MP. I see that now in central London, as compared with 10 years ago, in train stations, at cultural venues, along the South Bank and, very recently, in Oxford Street. The Need2Change campaign, spearheaded by Bromley resident Katrina O’Leary who I worked with before I was elected to this place, has allowed an increase in toilets in parks, hospitals and coastal towns to ensure her family, my family and other families can have the days out that others take for granted.

[Adam Jogee (Newcastle-under-Lyme) (Lab)]

I thank my hon. Friend for giving way and I congratulate him on securing this important debate. It is typically human-focused, compassionate and decent, which sums him up in every way. Will he join me in highlighting the current Changing Places toilets in Newcastle-under-Lyme at Keele services on the M6 southbound, Morrisons, the Jubilee 2 gym and sports centre, and our local library? That is four, but we need many more and government has an important role to play in making that happen.

[Daniel Francis]

I thank my hon. Friend. I absolutely agree. We have seen that growth, but we need to see more.

[Sarah Russell (Congleton) (Lab)]

I thank my hon. Friend for giving way. I am very sad to report that there are no Changing Places toilets in my constituency on the website—not a single one. I believe that, actually, Congleton leisure centre does have a Changing Places toilet, and I believe that Ruby’s Fund also has a very extensive disabled-facilitated toilet, although not to Changing Places standard. Does he agree that, when I have a constituency of 90,000 people, with four towns and multiple villages, that is an appalling state of affairs and we need to do better?

[Daniel Francis]

I thank my hon. Friend. I am happy to work with her and her local authority to bring sites forward.

I will now talk about my own family’s experience and, in particular, about education. I fully accept that not every disability is visible. Many people who may appear not to have a disability do require a Changing Places toilet, for instance if they have a colostomy bag and require extra space for toileting. For those who need a Changing Places toilet, the current system can be very frustrating. The main way of finding where one is located is through the excellent search location tool and map—this was just referred to—on the Changing Places website. There is a separate app, but it is not run by Changing Places—it is run by a third party—and so is not as up to date. The information on the Changing Places website can only be up to date if the provider of the toilet advises of any changes in availability.

I could give a litany of experiences, as could my hon. Friend the Member for Thurrock (Jen Craft), of where things have sadly not worked. One of our daughters has quadriplegic cerebral palsy. She is a wheelchair user. She is unable to tell you when she needs the toilet and is still in nappies at almost 12 years of age. Given her height and weight, a changing bed is essential to change her with dignity. Before we were aware of the Changing Places website, we sadly had the indignity of changing her in a variety of places, such as on a bench or behind a bush to try to give her some dignity. Our fallback today remains the floor of our wheelchair-accessible van, which I can assure you is a backbreaker. Since we have been aware of the Changing Places map facility, we plan our days out, trips and travel arrangements around it and where we believe there will be a toilet. It has been a life changer for our family and, as we have heard, for other families.

There are occasions where, because the information has not been updated or because of a lack of training on what Changing Places toilets are, we have had some experiences that have been not so great: finding that the only Changing Places toilet in the place you are visiting has been closed because it is vandalised; finding that the Changing Places toilet in a building is not available, as it is being used as a storage cupboard; having a council staff member refuse someone, who clearly cannot walk and is clearly in nappies, access to the Changing Places toilet on the grounds that they are a child and should therefore use a baby changing table, even when it is clear that their height, and particularly their weight, would break the table; finding, because it is winter, that the council has closed the toilet entirely or, when visiting a busy coastal city, that it closes at 4 pm—because clearly disabled people do not need to use the toilet after 4 pm!

I have seen some terrible training of staff in train stations and in public buildings, where they do not understand what a Changing Places toilet is. On numerous occasions, I have been told that because my daughter is a wheelchair user she should use the standard disabled toilet, with no understanding that she cannot stand and there is no hoist in a standard disabled toilet, and that if someone uses nappies, you might need a bed to change them. There was one occasion in a central London train station when a toilet attendant made everyone, regardless of which toilet they required, join one queue because their objective was reducing the queue length, rather than ensuring that the people who were able to use the only toilet available to them, did so. As we stood patiently at about number 50 in the queue, 49 people in front of us who did not need the Changing Places toilet were, in turn, directed to it. There are, however, some fantastic instances of staff ensuring that those trying to use these toilets as a baby changing room—which happens a lot—do not do so, and examples of fantastic signage explaining what a Changing Places toilet is intended for.

Along with the people who believe a Changing Places toilet is, in fact, a large baby changing facility, one other issue that can cause problems is the easy availability of RADAR keys, which are often purchased on the internet or in high street shops. I am afraid that some people do buy them as a way of skipping toilet queues.

In a number of places, including in Bexleyheath town centre in my constituency, the use of a RADAR key has led to people sleeping on the changing bed, and someone moving themselves and all their belongings into the toilet. My council took the decision to close the toilet because of the repeated damage caused by the person who kept moving into it, although I would argue that the council was clearly not maintaining it adequately, given that someone had been living in it for several weeks before my own wife discovered that they were living there.

Those issues persist, and we therefore need to have a conversation about training, about spreading best practice on signage and about different entry systems, which a number of Changing Places toilets now have. Those things would greatly reduce the stress for those who genuinely need a Changing Places toilet.

[Jen Craft]

Will my hon. Friend give way?

[Daniel Francis]

Very quickly—you have had your go already. [Laughter.]

[Jen Craft]

I very much appreciate my hon. Friend giving way again. Does he agree that when you go somewhere and you are unable to access adequate facilities to change your child, the message that is sent to you and your family is, “You are not welcome here. We do not want you.”? Conversely, when you go somewhere that has a Changing Places facility, you feel welcomed and part of the community.

[Daniel Francis]

That is absolutely the case. We will visit the same places for days out and we know our routine in central London, because we know where we will be welcomed and where we have had those bad experiences, which I have mentioned.

We do, of course, also need to consider this place. We have a Changing Places toilet in the Lower Waiting Hall, which is of the very old, original standard. It is therefore difficult to hoist somebody on to the bed, given how low the ceiling is. There is, however, no facility for visitors to Portcullis House, which is something we need to consider going forward.

In my constituency, there is one Changing Places toilet, located in the Broadway shopping centre, but we need more. Hall Place would be a fantastic place to have one, given that it is the premier cultural attraction and open space in my constituency.

[Ms Julie Minns (Carlisle) (Lab)]

There are four Changing Places toilets in my constituency, which, given that it is one of England’s largest constituencies, still feels very inadequate. Does my hon. Friend agree that one sector where we would definitely benefit from more Changing Places toilets is in our visitor attractions? Does he support my call for English Heritage to increase the number of Changing Places facilities on its estate?

[Daniel Francis]

I absolutely agree. As my hon. Friend says, I am pretty sure that there are some in her constituency, but we do need to expand that. Having those facilities on the south bank has made such an impact culturally, I can tell you, Madam Deputy Speaker.

[Samantha Niblett (South Derbyshire) (Lab)]

We have just two Changing Places toilets in my constituency, which is semi-rural and quite large. One is at Elvaston castle country park, so I ask my hon. Friend to put that on his list of places to come and visit. I opened my constituency office only once I had a disabled access toilet, but it just feels like such a halfway house. Does my hon. Friend agree that two Changing Places toilets for a constituency as large as South Derbyshire is far from adequate?

[Daniel Francis]

I absolutely agree with my hon. Friend, who has one more than me in her constituency. We do need to expand the number that we have.

I recently met members of my local Bexley Mencap, who raised with me the need for a Changing Places toilet in one of my borough’s swimming pools. We have three swimming pools in my local authority area, and it can be very difficult for members to change themselves.

However, campaigning can work. For many years, I have questioned the rationale of Eurotunnel LeShuttle having a Changing Places toilet in Folkestone but not having one for the very same customers in Calais. I accept that Changing Places toilets are very uncommon in France—in fact, I could count them on one hand. However, after many years of being told that one could not be provided in Calais, I have been advised in the past month that one will be supplied, although Eurotunnel is being vague about the installation date. Those customers will now finally be able to use a Changing Places toilet on both legs of their journey.

I know that my hon. Friend the Member for Hyndburn (Sarah Smith) wanted to be here to pay tribute to her constituent Zack Kerr, from Oswaldtwistle, who has been campaigning for additional Changing Places facilities since 2017. Zack has cerebral palsy and, because of his first-hand experience, has been instrumental in the building of 54 new toilets across motorway service stations in England.

My hon. Friend the Member for Shipley (Anna Dixon) relayed to me that the changing places toilet in Bingley town centre has been a life-changer. It is really well maintained and is cleaned twice a day, which can be important for children with complex conditions who are susceptible to infections. With twice-daily cleaning it is also much less likely that somebody will move in there for several weeks.

I continue to aspire to see a national disability travel app that shows accessible train stations and interchanges, and flags up when lifts are out of order and where there is a Changing Places toilet. We must ensure that we do what we can to expand the provision of accessible toilets, particularly Changing Places toilets, to public buildings, parks and community facilities.

I am very grateful to hon. Members for their contributions this afternoon. I encourage them to engage with their local authorities and stakeholder groups, and impress on them the importance of Changing Places toilets so that all our constituents can have access to a clean, safe and accessible facility. Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker, and I wish you a very happy summer recess.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Daniel Francis Excerpts

Tuesday 24th June 2025 Commons Chamber

[Daniel Francis (Bexleyheath and Crayford) (Lab)]

I start by paying tribute to officers and councillors in the London borough of Bexley for all they do. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Vauxhall and Camberwell Green (Florence Eshalomi) for securing today’s debate. For the record, my wife is employed by our local authority as a special educational needs co-ordinator in a local authority school.

I will briefly touch on three things. First, I welcome the record investment in housing, but I remain deeply disappointed that my Conservative-controlled council sold off its housing stock 26 years ago, has no housing revenue account and, through its own development company, has built 126 homes on three sites and has not supplied a single affordable home on any of those sites. The council has used viability assessments to argue that it cannot build affordable homes. In the housing plans that come forward, I hope we can find ways for my local authority to begin to deliver the affordable homes that we desperately need. Hopefully, that will be through the election of a Labour council next year, but we will wait and see—it has been a long time since we have had one in my patch. My local authority is complaining about the ever-dwindling stock of private rented properties that it can purchase, but it needs to turn its attention to the moneys coming forward so that it can finally deliver affordable homes.

Secondly, on local government funding, my council cut 15% of its staff in 2021. It had to sell a building in order to issue redundancy notices and, at the same time, had to come to the previous Government for a capitalisation order. We hear fantasy economics from the Opposition, but let us be clear: the cuts that were made to local authorities happened under a Conservative council and a Conservative Government in my patch. I hope that the fair funding review will lead to some investment, and I know that my council is lobbying hard. There have been demographic changes in my patch, and I hope that we begin to see some investment in local services.

Lastly, as I mentioned in the education debate—and, again, we have heard it before—we need guarantees about the safety valve that will be ending next March. My council did sign a safety valve agreement, but it continues to overspend, despite the commitments my Conservative council made to the previous Conservative Government, and that is a ticking time bomb for my council. On those points of how we can invest in housing, begin to have a fair funding review and look at the safety valve hanging over my council, I would welcome the Minister’s comments.

Residential Estate Management Companies

Daniel Francis Excerpts

Tuesday 22nd April 2025 Westminster Hall

[Daniel Francis (Bexleyheath and Crayford) (Lab)]

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Stuart. I thank the hon. Member for South Devon (Caroline Voaden) for securing the debate.

My constituents at Vickers Green in Crayford have experienced similar problems to other constituents. The Conservative council granted their Barratt Homes development, consisting of 247 homes, planning permission in 2009. The local planning committee’s report confirms that management of

“the estate roads, the communal areas, the play facility, the ecological area, the open space area etc”

will technically be the responsibility of the homeowners. It also confirms that the construction and maintenance of internal roads and parking areas, although not carried out by the council, will need to be carried out “to the Council’s satisfaction.” That has caused real problems for my constituents, who are paying their council tax but also having to pay charges for these things.

More recently, my constituents found that FirstPort is their management agent. This year it informed them that there was a £44,000 overspend in 2022, which they are now expected to pick up, in 2025. One constituent was told they had to pay charges for the two months before they moved into their property. Many residents have also seen the £600 charge for picking up responsibility for the communal areas and roads more than double in recent years, and they feel there is a gross unfairness in that.

I therefore welcome the Government’s planned changes. I would also welcome comments from my hon. Friend the Minister about what the Government propose to do to protect leaseholders from the kinds of abuse and poor service they have experienced, and about how some of these communal areas, which would traditionally be maintained by local authorities, might be returned to them, rather than being the responsibility of FirstPort, and therefore of homeowners themselves.

Local Government Finances: London

Daniel Francis Excerpts

Wednesday 26th March 2025 Westminster Hall

[Daniel Francis (Bexleyheath and Crayford) (Lab)]

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Ms Lewell. I need to say at the outset that my wife is employed as a SEND co-ordinator in the London borough of Bexley.

I was a councillor in Bexley for 20 years, including 10 years under the last Labour Government. I hear what the hon. Member for Bromley and Biggin Hill (Peter Fortune) says, but I assure him that we had a very different funding arrangement then—my local authority was not in the position it now is. The hon. Member for Old Bexley and Sidcup (Mr French) is no longer in his place, but he was the deputy leader on the council and I the leader of the opposition when we faced our funding crisis back in 2021. That funding crisis continues to this day.

In our council, reserves have been used to balance the budget for years. That includes the £5 million we needed to balance the budget in the 2018 council election year. Things became worse in 2021, when the council applied for its capitalisation order. It made 15% of staff redundant and had to sell a building for £9 million to fund the redundancy costs. In the period from 2010 to 2015, Bexley went from having the 10th most expensive council tax in London to the 8th most expensive.

At my election speech last year, I pledged to work tirelessly with my Conservative-controlled local authority to deliver for local people and businesses, and I am here on their behalf to make some key pledges about the pressures they face and the pressures we have heard about today.

First, as my hon. Friend the Member for Ilford South (Jas Athwal) said, we face the matter of the fair funding settlement. Demographic changes in outer London and inner London mean that the borough I was first elected to represent on the council 25 years ago is a very different borough today. Parts of my constituency, such as Slade Green and Northumberland Heath, are very different, demographically and in terms of poverty, from how they were then. My council’s position is that council tax should not be a primary driver of increased core spending power, and that we should simplify the assessments and reduce the number of relative needs formulae.

Then there is the public health grant. I have sat there, through budget after budget, as either leader of the opposition or the opposition finance spokesperson, listening to the Conservative leader, Baroness O’Neill, saying that the public health grant for Bexley is the second lowest in London. I am pleased—in fact, I am proud—that, under a Labour Government, Bexley this year has had the sixth-highest public health increase of all the boroughs, but clearly that position remains, and our public health grant remains too low. As I have said, our finances remain in a very difficult position, with a £32 million budget gap next year, which needs to be addressed.

Most worrying is our safety valve agreement. Our safety valve agreement was signed because of the significant overspends in special educational needs, but that will expire next year. We are not currently on course to achieve the requirements in the safety valve agreement and the statutory override. There is potentially £12.8 million at risk. As I have continually said to the Government, we clearly need to resolve that to protect some of our most vulnerable children in next year’s budget, but also residents and businesses across the London borough of Bexley.