HoME - Housing Made for Everyone

Housing Made for Everyone (HoME) is a coalition of 9 organisations calling for urgent action to tackle the UK’s acute and growing shortage of accessible homes.

HoME is calling for the ‘accessible and adaptable’ design standard (set out in Building Regulations Approved Document M, Volume 1 Category 2, also known as the M4(2) standard) to be made the mandatory baseline for all new homes; for Local Authorities to ensure their housing policies adequately reflect the needs of older and disabled people; and for housing associations and developers to commit to providing high quality homes fit for the future.

All members have signed up to a shared vision and charter aiming to change society’s approach to housing and ensure all new homes are built to be suitable for the changing needs of our ageing population and disabled people.

Government consultation: accessibility standards for new homes

On 29 July 2022, the then Government announced its intention to raise the minimum accessibility standard for all new homes built in England following its earlier consultation into raising the accessibility standards of new homes. 

Once implemented this change to regulations would mean that all new homes would be expected to meet the 'accessible and adaptable' M4(2) standard as a minimum requirement.

The announcement clarified that a second consultation would be carried out on the implementation of the change, including updates to statutory guidance and the circumstances in which exceptions to the higher standard might apply. 

As Co-Chairs of the Housing Made for Everyone (HoME) coalition, Habinteg Housing Association and the Centre for Ageing Better welcome this momentous decision.

Holly Holder, Deputy Director for Homes, Centre for Ageing Better, said: “We warmly welcome the Government’s decision to raise the minimum accessibility standard as a positive step towards resolving the significant shortage of accessible and adaptable new homes in this country.

“Raising the standard of accessibility has the potential to change millions of lives but only if executed well and with very limited exceptions to the way the revised regulation is applied. Homes with higher accessibility standards benefit everyone, particularly disabled people and older people, and disadvantage no one.”

Christina McGill, Director of Social Impact & External Affairs, Habinteg, said: “The need for accessible homes is going to grow significantly over the next 20 years as our population ages. Improving mandatory access standards will remove many of the barriers currently limiting the number of accessible homes being built and help deliver the right quality of homes for everyone.

“We look forward to further discussions with the government on the next phase of consultation. This must be carried out with urgency and address the finer details needed to deliver on the promise of housing that’s suitable and accessible for people throughout their lives.”

No consultation was carried out in the 2 years between this announcement and the General Election in 2024.

With a new Government in place that has announced the ambitious aim of building 1.5 million new homes during its term, including through delivery of a New Towns programme, the HoME coalition continues to urge ministers to implement this critical amendment to regulations. 

Support the Coalition

• Read the HoME Coalition  vision and charter
• Download the HoME social media graphics and share them on Twitter using #ForAccessibleHomes
• Contact us for more information, or to express an interest in joining the coalition
• Keep an eye on this page to find out more about when and how to respond to the second consultation.

Coalition members

The HoME coalition was founded by the  Centre for Ageing Better, Habinteg,  Age UK,  RIBA,  Disability Rights UK,  Housing LIN, the  National Housing Federation, the Chartered Institute of Housing and the Town and Country Planning Association.