Member resources

Best practice guidance related to housing from across the country.

England Good Practice Guides

• London Accessible Housing Register - Training Manual 2010
• London Housing Design Guide - Interim edition
• Residential Design Standards 2011 (Southwark Council) Supplementary Planning Document
• South Wheelchair accessible intermediate housing
• Waltham Forest Supplementary Planning Documents
• Wheelchair Accessible Housing 2011
• A Thomas Pocklington Trust Best Practice Guide for Housing Design

Scotland Good Practice Guides

• Occupational therapy guidance from the Scottish Government

Northern Ireland Good Practice

• Joint Ministerial launch of adaptations design communications toolkit in Northern Ireland - Adaptations Design Communications Toolkit

The toolkit includes:

• A range of minor housing adaptations, which can be provided without the need for referral to HSC Trusts for assessment, thus harmonising NIHE and Housing Association provision.
• Evidence-based, consistent and equitable housing adaptations design standards for all housing tenures.
• Improved design formats that will help disabled people visualise and discuss proposed housing adaptations.
• Standardised and robust occupational therapy formats for housing adaptations recommendations, financial governance, specifications, and follow-up communications to all housing providers.
• Electronic formatting that will help to facilitate more timely and consistent inter and intra-agency communications.

The RIBA has released an excellent collection of resources into 'Design for an Ageing Population' to help environment professionals access relevant information they need to create buildings and places that meet the needs of an ageing society. At the end of 2013, they opened a call for evidence on design for an ageing population. This resulted in a collection of over 450 items of research, guidance and case studies which have been collated into an online bibliography.

Zotero at RIBA site

The HM Revenue and Customs (Taxation) website has guidance on VAT exemptions on housing adaptations for disabled people.

Guidance for builders and suppliers
 

Supporting research to play a vital role in planning for an ageing population across the island of Ireland.

Centre for Ageing Research and Development Ireland (CARDI) site

A charity set up in 1986 to improve the housing and living conditions of older people and disabled people.

Care and Repair England (Currently chair the Home Adaptations Consortium)

The National body for Home Improvement and Handyperson Services

Providing practical care, advice and support to serving members of the Armed Forces, veterans of all ages and their families.

The Royal British Legion

Offering hope for the future by investing millions in research, and help for today through our information, support and campaigning. 

Multiple Sclerosis Society

Working in partnership with people with a learning disability, and all our services support people to live life as they choose.

Mencap - The voice of learning disability

The voice of affordable housing in England, believing that everyone should have the home they need at a price they can afford. 

The voice of housing associations

A professional, awarding and campaigning body at the forefront of environmental and public health and safety.

The Chartered Institute of Environmental Health

Formerly responsible for managing the Department of Health's (DH) Extra Care Housing capital programme, it is the leading 'knowledge hub' for a growing network of housing, health and social care professionals in England involved in planning, commissioning, designing, funding, building and managing housing with care for older people.

The Housing Learning and Improvement Network (LIN)

A professional, awarding and campaigning body at the forefront of environmental and public health and safety.

The Chartered Institute of Housing

Aiming to provide homes that are accessible, adaptable and affordable.

Habinteg

Wanting lasting change for people and places in poverty, communities where everyone can thrive in a more equal society. Now and for future generations. 

Joseph Rowntree Foundation

Part of the Department for Work and Pensions, they work closely with the Minister for Disabled People, other government departments, disabled people and a wide range of external groups.

Office for Disability Issues

Offering people with sight loss the support they require to lead an independent life, based on their individual requirements.

Thomas Pocklington Trust

Use Google maps to check external access features of a building before you visit - see under personal uses - check parking availability and disabled access.

Street View - Google maps

The Office for National Statistics is the UK's recognised national statistical institute and the largest independent producer of official statistics. It is responsible for collecting and publishing statistics related to the economy, population and society at national, regional and local levels.

Office for National Statistics

• The Care Act 2014
• Care and Support Statutory Guidance Issued under the Care Act 2014
• Home Adaptations: The Care Act 2014 and related provision across the United Kingdom
• Care Act 2014 - Prevention.pdf
• Care Act 2014 - Wellbeing.pdf
• Care Act 2014 - Disabled Facilities Grants.pdf
• Care Act 2014 - Transitions.pdf

• Carers (Recognition and Services) Act 1995
• Children Act 1989
• Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970 (superseded by the care act but stays this is only relevant to children)
  F2. 2 Housing - have regard to the special needs of the chronically sick and disabled M2 sect.29 Provision of welfare services: e) provision of assistance for that person in arranging for the carrying out of any works of adaptation in his home or the provision of any additional facilities designed to secure his greater safety, comfort or convenience.
• Health and Social Care Act 2012
  To deliver more power to clinicians and focus on integration of services.
• Mental Capacity Act 2005
  Statutory framework to protect vulnerable people, carers and professionals.
• The Disabled Facilities Grants (Maximum Amounts and Additional Purposes) (England) Order 2008
• Regulatory Reform (Housing Assistance) (England and Wales) Order 2002
  Local authorities given powers to help people with purchasing an alternative property. LAs can also offer loans in addition to DFG's
• Localism Act 2011
  This guide gives an overview of the measures of the Localism Act 2011 under 4 headings: new freedoms and flexibilities for local government, new rights and powers for communities and individuals, reform to make the planning system more democratic and more effective, reform to ensure that decisions about housing are taken locally
• Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996
• Equality Act 2010
• Equality Act 2010: guidance
• Consumer Protection Act 1987

• Allocation of Accommodation
  Guidance on allocation of social housing and on improving access to social housing for former and armed forces personnel. Jan-Mar 2012
• Providing social housing for local people
  Statutory guidance on social housing allocations for local authorities in England
• Building, planning and the environment (Accessed Aug 2017)
  A series of research reports regarding the health benefits and costs of lifetime homes. While they do not necessarily reflect government policy they have been published in the interests of transparency.
• Building Regulations Approved Document 2015
• Choice Based Lettings, Potentially disadvantaged groups and Accessible housing registers: A Guide to Good Practice - Dec 2009
• Delivering Housing Adaptations for Disabled People: A Good Practice Guide (2013) England and Wales
• DFG Allocation Methodology and Means Test final report: Feb 2011
• The Lifetime Homes Standard (from 5 July 2010)
• National Evaluation of the Handyman programme: University of York Jan. 2012
• Hospital 2 Home
  This pack contains essential information for those working in health, housing, social care and the voluntary sector to support older people to return home safely after a hospital stay and reduce the risk of readmission.

• DWP site
• Better outcomes, Lower Costs 2007: Implications for Health & Social Care Budgets of investment in housing adaptations, improvements and equipment - a review of the evidence.
• Independent Living Strategy 2008

• Ministry of Justice site
• Human Rights Act 1998
• Disability rights
• Equality Act 2010
• The UN Convention on disability rights
• Office for Disability Issues

• Information Commissioner's Office (ICO)
• Data Protection Act 1998
• Protection of individuals: with regard to processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data.
• Freedom of Information Act 2000

• The Cabinet Office site

• Health and Safety Executive
• Employer's Liability (Defective Equipment) Act 1969
• Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
• Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER)
• Management and Safety at Work Regulations 1999
• Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 (as amended)
• Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER)
• Personal protective equipment at work 1992

• Medical Devices Regulation 2002

• Disabled Facilities Grants for home adaptations House of Commons Briefing Dec 2016 Wendy Wilson
• House of commons briefing disabled adaptations in leasehold flats and common areas June 2017

• Housing and disabled people: Scotland's hidden crisis
• Housing and disabled people: a toolkit for elected members of local authorities in Scotland