Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what plans she has to implement the recommendations of the 2020 ‘Raising accessibility standards for new homes' consultation.

Requirements set out in the Building Regulations 2010 include Part M, ‘Access to and use of Buildings’. These requirements intend that new building work meets the needs of occupants with differing needs, including some older or disabled people and wheelchair users, and allow adaptation of the dwelling to meet changing needs over time. Statutory guidance, called Approved Documents, offer guidance to developers about how to meet the legal requirements set out in the Building Regulations. M4(2) homes provide enhanced accessibility, requiring features such as a living area and step free access at entrance level. M4(3) homes meet or can be easily adapted to meet the needs of wheelchair users.

Government recognises the importance of increasing the supply of housing for people with greater need for adaptability or accessibility, through the planning system. The Government’s new National Planning Policy Framework and consultation response were published on 17 August 2026, setting out requirements for authorities to deliver accessible housing. Plans should set out the proportion of new homes that should be delivered to M4(2) and M4(3) accessibility standards, to meet or exceed identified need. There is a clear position that at least 40% of housing on major development should be built to M4(2) to drive-up provision, particularly in areas that do not already have clear requirements. In the consultation response, Government committed to providing further guidance to assist local authorities in assessing older and disabled people’s housing need and will consider appropriate engagement to support this work.