National Housing Strategy for People with a Disability 2011 - 2016

The full set of actions underpinning each strategic aim is set out below.Strategic Aim 1To promote and mainstream equality of access for people with a disability to thefull range of housing options available suited to individual and household need1.1 Promote and support the delivery of accommodation for people with disabilities usingall housing supply mechanisms;1.2 People with disabilities who may require a housing support, including those currentlyresiding in institutions, should be encouraged to apply to housing authorities for anindividual assessment of housing need;1.3 All applicants for social housing support who have disabilities should be interviewedby housing authorities as part of the assessment process and provided with astatement of housing need;1.4 Specific strategies to be developed, in the context of future Housing Services Plans,to plan for the current and future housing needs of people with disabilities, includingchildren with disabilities;1.5 Development proposals of approved housing bodies to reflect and be aligned torelevant local authority future housing services plans;1.6 Effective implementation of new allocations policy to ensure appropriate prioritisationof households with disabilities in need of social housing support;1.7 Guidance underpinning the new allocations policy to reflect policy developments inrespect of the housing needs of people with disabilities;1.8 Housing authorities to consider, in the context of the overall need for housing in thearea, reserving a proportion of units to meet the needs of people with varyingdisabilities, including households with a child with a disability;1.9 Ensure that the current and future needs of children with disabilities is central to theprocess of allocating housing to families;1.10 Maximise the potential of RAS type and long term leasing arrangements to meet theshort and long term needs of people with various disabilities;1.11 Promote use of RAS type leasing arrangements for people with disabilities who havenot been in receipt of rent supplement;1.12 Examine potential to encourage longer term contracts with landlords under RAS;1.13 Analyse data from the VFM Review of RAS in order to examine the impact of thescheme on people with disabilities;1.14 Examine feasibility of providing incentives for landlords who provide accommodationsuitable for the needs of people with disabilities, to include the issue of increased taxcredits for people with disabilities;1.15 Raise awareness amongst landlords, letting agents, etc, regarding renting to peoplewith disabilities in the private rental sector.14