Ministers warned to keep their word on housing support for disabled people

9 Feb 2024 11:51 AM

Ministers are being warned by the NRLA not to backtrack on commitments to boost support for disabled people to access the housing they need, following reports that a pledge to increase funding has been dropped.

According to the BBC, the Government is no longer committed to increase the amount disabled people in England can claim to adapt their home. The fund, known as the Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG), is used to cover the costs of adaptations which those with disabilities may need to help them live independently.

The maximum amount a person can claim from the DFG is £30,000 in England which has been capped since 2008, meaning it has failed to keep up with inflation. The BBC reports that, despite a promise to consult on increasing the maximum amount that can be claimed, the Government has not taken this step forward.

Over 1.2 million households in the private rented sector in England have someone living in them with a disability or long-term illness. The DFG is a vital way to ensure properties can meet the needs of such tenants.

Previous research by the NRLA has found that, where landlords are aware of the DFG, they are far more likely to make adaptations to properties that disabled tenants need.  However, the NRLA warns that unless the cap on the amount available is increased, it will become increasingly difficult to fund these.

Ben Beadle, Chief Executive of the National Residential Landlords Association, recently said:

“Every disabled person deserves a home that meets their needs and enables them to live as independently as possible. To do so however requires adequate funding.

“Unless it fully reviews the cap on the Disabled Facilities Grant to better reflect growing costs, the Government will make it impossible for many to afford the adaptations they desperately need.

“Ministers need to keep their word and commit to uprating the grants available to disabled people.”

Notes

• The NRLA’s good practice guidance on adaptations in the private rented sector (including using DFGs) can be accessed here. 
• The BBC News story to which this release refers can be accessed here. 
• According to the English Housing Survey for 2022/23, 28% of households in the private rented sector had at least one person living in them with a disability or long-term illness. That amounts to over 1.2 million households.
• Details of the NRLA’s research can be found in its evidence to the Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Select Committee inquiry on disabled people in the housing sector.
• Further information about the NRLA can be found at www.nrla.org.uk. It posts on X @NRLAssociation.
• The NRLA’s press office can be contacted by emailing press@nrla.org.uk or by calling 0300 131 6363.