Recalling that the European Union (EU) and all EU Member States have ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), which underlines the need to eliminate obstacles and barriers to accessibility in housing (Article 9), as well as the right to adequate housing and access to social housing programmes for persons with disabilities (Article 28).
Considering that Article 19 of the CRPD underlines that persons with disabilities must have the opportunity to choose their place of residence and where and with whom they live on an equal basis with others and not be obliged to live in a particular living arrangement.
Noting that “accessibility” of housing refers not only to accessibility for persons with reduced mobility, but also the ability to meet the needs of persons with any range of disabilities without barriers.
Bringing to light the significant difficulty persons with disabilities often face when looking for housing that is accessible because of an abundance of inaccessible dwellings among Europe’s housing stock.
Underlining the extra costs incurred when renting or buying affordable properties in comparison with inaccessible ones, which has a significant impact on the ability of persons with disabilities to make ends meet.
Due to a shortage of accessible housing and the extra costs linked to living in an accessible dwelling, acknowledging that 11% of persons with disabilities in the EU report being overburdened by the cost of their housing, and that only 28.9% of persons with disabilities consider that their dwelling meets their needs.
Considering that the extra cost of renting and buying accessible housing exacerbates the already-persistent issue of increased poverty and social exclusion among persons with disabilities, whereby 28.8% of persons with disabilities in the EU are currently at risk of poverty and social exclusion, rising to 29.7% for women with disabilities and 35.6% for people with high support needs.
Recalling that, beyond persons with disabilities’ lower average incomes and increased costs for accessible properties, persons with disabilities face particular barriers in buying properties because of difficulties in accessing financial services to acquire a loan or insurance.
Taking into account that 4.4% of persons with disabilities experience severe housing deprivation and 15.1% are unable to keep their homes adequately warm.
Stressing that the EU is experiencing soaring housing costs, with rents not only increasing to record levels beyond inflation, but with the rate of the price increase itself equally speeding up.
Recalling that inaccessibility of dwellings is one of the main reasons people are obliged to leave their homes when they develop a disability or as they become older. Underlining that having more accessible housing, and the ability to improve the accessibility of existing dwellings, would result in fewer people being forced to leave their homes against their will.
Stressing that the lack of accessible and affordable housing in the community is a key factor in persons with disabilities ending up in institutions, unable to exercise their right to choose where to live and to be part of their communities.
In this vein, stressing that the number of institutionalised persons with disabilities in the EU has not decreased over the past decade, and that 13 EU Member States have in fact increased the number of adults with disabilities living in institutions in the past 10 years.
Given the importance of the EU’s new Guidance on Independent Living and Inclusion in the Community in clarifying how to realise the transition away from institutions in line with the UNCRPD.
Underlining that persons making the transition from institutions to living in the community may experience poor, precarious and unsuitable housing conditions, particularly if not provided with the right support.
Bringing to light that many people who are institutionalised and/or placed in psychiatric units, lose their homes while placed in such settings because of cuts to incomes and an inability to make rent or mortgage payments. Stressing furthermore that many people leaving institutions no longer have homes or belongings to return to in order to rebuild their lives.
Clarifying that accessible and affordable housing in the community is not only needed by persons with disabilities, but also their families.
Making the link between the lack of both sustainable and accessible housing and energy poverty, which yet again adds to the cost of living and disproportionately affects persons with disabilities and deprives them of their choices as consumers.
Given that energy subsidies for persons with disabilities are often limited to homeowners, which excludes many persons with disabilities from being able to adequately address extra energy costs linked to having a disability.
Therefore, the European Disability Forum calls on the European Union and Member States to:
- Ensure that the new European Affordable Housing Plan has a specific focus on increasing the stock of housing that is accessible to persons with disabilities and older people.
- In the next Multiannual Financial Framework, establish a Fund for Accessible Housing within the framework of EU cohesion funding, with the aim of creating new affordable and accessible housing in the community, as well as to retrofit existing properties to make them accessible where possible and supporting the cost of additional material that allows persons with disabilities to make full use of their homes and overcome any structural barriers.
- Revise the EU’s State Aid rules to allow for support on costly accessibility adaptations, particularly on housing. EU legislation granting the use of State Aid, namely the General Block Exemption Regulation, should increase flexibility for such investments into accessibility and not be restrictive on the amount Member States can dedicate to such investments.
- Facilitate access to social housing programmes for persons with disabilities, and ensure that available social housing adheres to relevant national building accessibility standards.
- Ensure compliance with ambitious accessibility standards with incentive schemes and appropriate sanction mechanisms.
- Facilitate access to financial services to reduce additional barriers persons with disabilities face in accessing loans and insurance when purchasing a property.
- Develop policies that ensure an adequate level of social protection, including support to cover the cost of housing, for persons with disabilities.
- Step up support for persons with disabilities to live independently in the community, facilitate the transition away from a reliance on institutions, and ensure that accommodation in the community meets their needs and ensures dignified living conditions.
- Make sure that families of persons with disabilities are also supported in finding affordable and appropriate housing or to adapt the family home so that it will allow them to remain as a family unit.
- Protect persons with disabilities from losing their homes and possessions when they are institutionalised, in order to facilitate retransition back into the community.
- More closely examine the link between persons with disabilities experiencing energy poverty due to lack of sustainable housing stock that is also accessible, and
- Explicitly include accessibility as a requirement when renovating and constructing new buildings in all initiatives in the field of energy efficiency and other policies aimed at making buildings more sustainable.