Disabled tenants of housing associations are "prisoners in their
own homes" because of taunts and harassment from neighbours and
children, the National Housing Federation warned.
The NHF interviewed more than 60 disabled residents who were afraid
to leave their homes because they were "easy targets". The
residents said their housing associations were not helping
them.
Others complained that they were excluded from information about
services, homes were not adapted, staff lacked awareness of
disability issues and repairs and maintenance were not carried out
on time.
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In a code of practice due to be released later this year, the NHF
recommends housing associations should embrace a national disabled
register of homes adapted for disabled people to ensure needs are
met.
The recommendation is similar to a pilot scheme currently taking
place in Reading ,which has saved Ability Housing Association
£210,760 in adaptation and support costs since it began a year
ago.
The web-based register currently contains details of more than 400
modified properties owned by Reading Council and 34 local housing
associations.
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The NHF also launched a checklist called the Level Threshold, which
will help housing associations improve their policies and
procedures.
The Disability Rights Commission said the NHF was "moving in the
right direction".
A DRC spokesperson said:"The Disability Discrimination Bill going
through parliament has a clause that will require all public sector
bodies, including housing associations, to show a proactive
approach to including disabled people from 2006."
