Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, with reference to page 79 of the report, UK Poverty: Causes and Solutions, published by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation on 6 September 2016, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of the recommendation to build all new homes to Lifetime Homes Standard, and to ensure that up-to-date registers are kept of accessible and suitable social housing.

The Neighbourhood Planning Act 2017 introduced a duty on the Secretary of State to issue further guidance on the provision of accessible housing to meet the needs of older and disabled people. This will help local authorities to determine when to apply the higher access standards available in Building Regulations optional requirements for accessible and adaptable homes, which is based on Lifetime Homes. This will help meet the needs of those groups identified in the Joseph Rowntree Foundation report.

Accessible housing registers can be useful and we are aware that some councils and social landlords have incorporated such an approach within their lettings scheme.

The Government believes it is important that people who require accessible housing are given the right level of priority and that councils and social landlords are able to make the best use of affordable housing in their area.