Local authority restricting bungalows on age basis

[SimplySteve]

I've considered that my local authority restricting bungalows to over 55s (regardless if they have any disabilities etc, age is the sole eligibility criteria) is ageism? Being restricted from one when we are both carrying serious disability is shocking, even have support from GP, social worker, medical specialist nurse. We fall numerous times a week in current property too. This is discriminatory surely?

'The choice to live in the property type you desire is a luxury afforded to those that can buy and pay mortgages."

How so? I would say 99% of people live in the property they can afford, not their dream house or even a reasonable house. At one point I had two dcs in a one-bedroomed flat. And those who own their own homes usually (depending on local authority) have to pay for any adaptations they may need, be they for age-related or disability need.

I think you should appeal and perhaps get your MP involved. You could also appeal to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman that a blanket ban is discriminatory.

An awful lot of gff have a step up to the front entrance and many have very narrow doors that cannot accommodate a wheelchair or rollator - or sometimes fire doors that cannot be opened from a wheelchair.

It is not until people have been in this situation that they actually understand this problem. It was an eye-opener when I became disabled to find out that a) the disabled toilet on my floor was not big enough to accommodate a wheelchair, b) the fire-doors were too heavy to access the lift, c) the disabled toilet on the floor below had a narrow entrance that meant I couldn't wheel myself in, d) the ground floor " accessible" meeting room had a step at the front door and couldn't be accessed by a wheelchair e) the " disability" entrance to the other part part of my building was my a special lift ... that was key operated and I hadn't been given one. So had to be carried which was hugely embarrassing in front of colleagues

"I do think it's cheeky to expect a bungalow though when accessible flats will be more available & you are more likely to get one.

Fucking hell. I've had enough now, I'm out."

Crikey, rude & over sensitive or what 😏

I totally get your frustration & I know Council's are crap at doing adaptions even when desperately needed. We had to deal with the same when my DD was in a wheelchair & I am walking disabled.

I'm also VERY aware on wheelchair needs as DM spent most of her life in one & as such you are cheeky expecting a bungalow, nice pipe dream by all means, but you can't shout discrimination because they won't give you one when there will be perfectly suitable flats available, that you have a much better chance of getting.

My DB was just as needy of better accessibility at home & he was very, very grateful for what he was given, but he would have taken anything.

You limit yourself massively

Actually restricting certain types of accommodation bu age is usually exempt from the requirements if the Equality Act.

Think about over 55s accommodation.

Then again if you want to buy a bungalow with your own money in a private sale, I can't see what can stop you.

I suspect I reason for restricting bungalows to older folk is to encourage them to move from larger houses as well as mentioned before, older folks means quicker turn over -

bookmum08 You know nothing of other posters lives. Many, like me may have severe disabilities themselves.

I don't think the policy is discriminatory.

You limit yourself massively

I think this is the point I was trying to get at too. It’d be nice if there were a plethora of bungalows and new ones being built, but they aren’t - they’re not economical for councils to build or maintain.

You seem to feel a bungalow is your only option, but they’re so thin on the ground that it’s best not to set yourself up for disappointment. A gff isn’t your ideal, but it’s better to be realistic, and surely that’s better then living somewhere with stairs to fall down? I don’t think many people can say their homes are ideal, but we have to do the best we can with what we have. Such is the nature of our housing crisis.

All you can do is give it more time. 16 months is nothing around here, people wait an average of six years to be housed. Again, I’m not saying it’s right, but it is the unfortunate fact.

I'm also wondering if these properties aren't actually council owned, so they don't actually make the rules.

In the area DB lives & the area he moved away from to get rehoused these flats & bungalows are privately owned by a care type company & sublet to the council. DB was put forward for one because of his disability, but he had to be vetted by the company first & they clearly thought he was a risky tenant due to his age & being a single man. They accepted he wasn't a risky tenant, but only because he had an advocate fighting his corner, I'm not sure he could have done that himself given how ill he is.

If you don't already, get yourself an advocate & lower your expectations a bit. These flats are lovely, huge & very accessible

Piglet I apologise. You are correct I know nothing of other posters lives just as you know nothing of mine and my circumstances.

I think the problem is also its a slippery slope, they let on young disabled person have an over 55 bungalow and then someone else comes forward disabled with young a young DC or with a disabled DC and then they can't say no because they could be seen as discriminating against people with DC (which l believe comes under sex discrimination as woman is usually main carer). So next thing is you've got a load of kids running around screaming etc. what is essentially designed for older people

A couple of things have stood out.
Have you looked at private rental bungalows/flats? Some might already be partially adapted or you might be able to get access to funding to adapt.
Same funding statement applies to your current property? Stair lift? Downstairs loo? Some way of having a bed downstairs?
I can’t see how your blind dp pushing you in a wheelchair is safe/plausible in most settings tbh when your mentioning it for navigating stairs. Same goes for a gff you need to fight to adapt it, Ramp, automatic door closed on the heavy main door. Assuming the distance to door is mostly your dp as a wheelchair obviously aids you getting to the door from a car but there was a local flat which as part of the adaptations had a disabled bay added as close to the door from the car park as possible.

The bungalows likely to be unsuitable in its own ways, narrow halls/steps at doors/residential parking (if it’s on the street you have as much right as the next person to park there).

It isn't discriminatory OP.
It might not be fair. The criteria are not necessarily correct. But it isn't discriminatory.
If you were over 55 and they wouldn't give you a bungalow because you had disabilities as well as meeting the age criteria then you could claim discrimination. As it is the over-55 bungalows are for over 55s. That does not include you.

I'm sorry that you are stuck in this spiral. Others upthread have suggested that you look outside your immediate area. Could that help at all?

OP isn’t saying he only wants a bungalow, I read the last thread too. He and his partner are both really struggling and where they currently live is making their lives even harder. He is trying to find somewhere suitable but no ground floor flats that are available are actually suitable for their needs (not wants). The only properties available which would meet their needs are fenced off from them because only people over 55 are allowed to apply, whether they have disabilities or not. It’s ok saying a ground floor flat would be just as good but if that flat has steps to the door, massive heavy doors and is too far and hard to access from the car it might as well be in the top floor with no lift. It’s no bloody wonder he’s a bit snappy I know I bloody would be faced with those struggles.

I would imagine it comes down to quantities, we live in an aging population and there will be be a lot more elderly requiring a bungalow than those that are disabled.

agree with secretsquirrel

also the people moaning about a slippery slope etc, how do you know that the now ridiculously low 'elderly people' cut off of 55 isn't leading to these properties being occupied by people who don't need them/are a nuisance etc? eg a spry 60 year old able bodied surviving spouse or child of an elderly person whose care needs were the original reason for the tenancy bid being successful, who may be occupying that property for another 30 years? not that the answer is to go round booting people out of their homes - more social housing is needed, and the 'be grateful for any crumbs you get' attitude is not going to lead to the sort of social climate where there's any impetus to make that happen. Surely people at least agree that 55 is ludicrously young to deem people to have specific housing needs on the grounds of age?

With the best will in the world, I don't see how a council could afford to house everyone according to their wishes - even in the flushest of times.

On MN people are usually well disposed to a person struggling with a disability, but I'm afraid the tone of this particular OP (and in their previous thread) sounds a bit... I can't quite find the right word... unfriendly . They might feel unfriendly towards the council, but the way they phrase things to other posters is slightly aggressive. Ii think that's why the replies have generally been less than positive.

op wants to be housed according to their needs though, not their wishes, which is quite an important distinction. it must be incredibly frustrating. they're getting cunty replies for the simple reason that on mn snobbery and resentment towards people in social housing trumps disability rights, no more and no less, it's a disgrace tbh.

I actually do think it’s discrimination.
As someone else said ,why is an able bodied person 55 or over more in need than someone with a disability?
It’s ridiculous !
55 isn’t “old” either so the criteria is mind boggling .
The fact the OP is in a council flat does not mean he is less deserving of a safe place to live without the worry of injury.
I had been living in council flats until 6 years ago and none of the ground floor flats were without atleast 2 steps and a really heavy security door .

I had been living in council flats until 6 years ago and none of the ground floor flats were without atleast 2 steps and a really heavy security door .

Thats just the ones you have lived in though. Op could bid on house conversions or they dont exist where he lived either 🙄

pumpkin The warden aided flats round here also have an age limit of 55 and older. I am older than that and would laugh at the idea of needing one. But there are 55 and slightly older who do need one. Some people get early onset dementia or other issues at this age, although most people will be much older.

So how do you know where the op livestock that this isn’t the case for his area?

Don’t quite get the snarky replies to this thread

*live!

op wants to be housed according to their needs though, not their wishes, which is quite an important distinction.

Madam

A GFF or even one floor up with good lift access DOES meet those needs though, but the OP wants a bungalow. I don't blame her at all oir wanting that, but in today's housing climate you can not expect to get what you want, you are lucky if you get what you need.

My brother had to move 60 miles away to get rehoused into a flat suitable for his disability, which just so happens to be an over 55 complex. He is very grateful to have a flat that suits his needs better than what he had, not griping that he didn't get a bungalow, which would have suited uhh better too

& FTR, it might say over 55 as criteria, but everyone on this complex is disabled, not all are over 55, including my DB.

@abacucat I think it’s 60 round here.
I do understand in some cases that dementia could be a reason but that’s quite broad isn’t it?
I grew up in sheltered housing as my mum was a warden so lived onsite and now and again we would get someone younger move in with a disability but that not often

Ffs.. *Not that often