It may be a good idea to look at whether other housing might be better for you. This may well depend on your finances, and on whether you own or rent your current home. Even if you do own your own home, you could still discuss the situation with the Housing Department of your local authority; also, housing associations operating locally may have a special interest in people with disabilities.
The Housing Department has a responsibility for considering people’s housing problems whether or not they own their own homes. However, how far you get in your request will depend on several factors, including the severity of your problems, housing resources available locally, your financial situation, the demand for the type of housing you may wish to apply for, and any particular local conditions (financial or otherwise) attached to local authority re-housing.
You can apply to go on the housing register of your Local Authority (which often used to be called the waiting list). This is the main route to permanent housing. It is important that, whatever your circumstances, you go on the housing register if you require permanent accommodation.
For the register, you will be asked to provide basic details such as your name, the number of people in your household and whether they are under 10 years of age or over 60 years old, and your address. Further information that may be held on the register could include details of any disability involved and specific housing requirements.
After the council has agreed that you are eligible to go on the housing register, your re-housing priority will be decided. The council will look at your circumstances, your present accommodation, and what kind of accommodation you require, using the information that you give them on the application form and medical form to decide your priority. Under the Housing Act 1996, the council has to give reasonable preference for re-housing to the following people:
• people occupying unsanitary or overcrowded, or otherwise living in unsatisfactory, housing conditions;
• people occupying housing accommodation that is temporarily occupied on insecure terms;
• families with dependent children;
• households consisting of or including someone who is expecting a child;
• households consisting of or including someone with a particular need for settled accommodation on welfare on medical grounds;
• households whose social or economic circumstances are such that they have difficulty in securing settled accommodation.
Additional preference is given where a member of the household has a particular need for settled accommodation on welfare or medical grounds and who cannot reasonably be expected to find settled accommodation themselves in the near future. This can include those who are particularly vulnerable as a result of old age, physical or mental illness, and/because of a learning or physical disability. If a person in this situation could live independently with the necessary support, but could not be expected to secure accommodation on their own initiative, then they should get additional preference for re-housing.
The main categories affecting people with a disability as a result of MS are the first and fifth bullets above. The first category could be relevant if you are a disabled person living in inaccessible housing. This could constitute unsatisfactory housing conditions. The fifth category is for people who need settled (i.e. long-term) accommodation on welfare or medical grounds. When assessing medical grounds, the council will be expected to take into account advice from medical professionals. Guidance from the Government to local councils make it clear that this fifth category is designed to apply to disabled people.
The council may involve Social Services and Health Authorities in assessing whether a household has a particular need for long-term settled accommodation. You can receive reasonable preference for re-housing under more than one category, so you can ‘build up’ your priority for re-housing. For example, you could have priority for re-housing because of your disability as well as because you have dependent children.
If you are seeking to move either to another house as an owner- occupier, or into the privately rented sector, you will probably realize that there is no central register, or one key source of information, on which properties are ‘disability friendly’. Although recent legislation has required all new houses being built to be more disability friendly than they were, clearly there is enormous variety amongst the existing housing stock in terms of its suitability for people with mobility or other difficulties.
Finding accessible housing can be difficult. Estate agents do not routinely inspect properties for their accessibility. In order to avoid wasted visits to estate agents or letting agencies, you should write to any in your chosen area setting out briefly the basic requirements you are looking for. Try to make them simple and straightforward and do not necessarily expect them to understand what, for example, a wheelchair user would require. Always be aware of the possibility of adapting a property.
It is also worth looking in the disability newspapers and local disability newsletters for advertisements from disabled people selling or renting out properties. You could also consider placing an advertisement in one of these asking if anyone has a suitable property for sale or rent. Contact your local disability organization to see if they know of suitable properties in the area, or whether they let you put up an advert in their offices or centre. There may also be a Disabled Persons’ Housing Service, Disabled Persons’ Accommodation Agency or Register in your chosen area. These not-for-profit organizations will be able to help you find suitable property to buy or rent.