Two thirds of wheelchair users forced to wait for suitable housing

Sixty seven per cent of wheelchair users wait over three years
in inadequate and sometimes dangerous accommodation while waiting
for accessible housing.

A survey by John Grooms housing association found that 41 per
cent of respondents had waited for over five years.

Common problems experienced by those who were housed in
inappropriate accommodation were that they were unable to leave the
house unaided and unable to use the bathroom alone.

One respondent said they had been forced to sleep on the kitchen
floor until a carer visited the following day.

The association’s chief executive David Harmer said too
many local authorities are simply not aware of the scale of the
problem.

He added that many councils did not research the housing needs
of their disabled constituents, which resulted in “wheelchair users
suffering in silence for years”.

“Not only are people literally imprisoned in their own homes,
inappropriate housing can exacerbate current conditions or hamper
the rehabilitation process.”