Insights from our Accessible Homes Week 2026 webinar | Tenant news

Accessible Homes Week took place in October, giving us another opportunity to highlight why accessible housing matters and what needs to change.

As part of the campaign, we hosted a live webinar to share findings from our latest research, The adaptability gap: Public perceptions of UK homes in 2026 .

Around 120 people from the housing, care and disability sectors joined us to hear about the research and discuss the challenges people face when their homes don't meet their needs.

Here are some of the key highlights.

What the research found

Ou report was based on a survey carried out by Kantar. It looked at how well people's homes meet their needs now and in the future.

The findings showed that:

• 21% of UK adults said they or a family member had experienced serious problems because a home wasn't accessible.
• 40% of unpaid carers had experienced or witnessed problems caused by an inaccessible home.
• 29% of those affected often or always worried about whether their home, or a loved one's, was suitable, compared with 15% of adults overall.
• Only 28% of people aged 55 to 64 felt confident they could live independently in their current home at 80 without adaptations.

The findings highlight the importance of having a home that can meet your needs as you get older or your circumstances change.

Personal experiences

Habinteg Chief Executive Martin Warhurst opened the webinar by sharing how visits from his sister, Hazel, a wheelchair user, had made him think differently about the barriers people face in inaccessible homes.

Guest speaker Debra Edwards also spoke about her experience. After becoming a wheelchair user in 2014, she had to leave her home because it no longer met her needs. Her next home was also unsuitable and couldn't be properly adapted, affecting her wellbeing.

Debra highlighted the importance of listening to disabled people when designing homes and local areas: “We're considered experts; we're living it.”

Ideas for change

The other speakers explored how better design, technology and communication can improve independent living.

Dr Rachel Russell, Housing Occupational Therapist and member of the Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT) discussed how lighting, noise and temperature affect health and wellbeing. Meanwhile, Paul Smith, Managing Director of Foundations, spoke about a new charter setting out how councils and housing providers can improve the way they communicate with tenants and deliver home adaptations

Brenda Puech from the Centre for Accessible Environments shared examples of technology that can make everyday tasks easier, including adjustable work surfaces and cupboards.

Learn more about Accessible Homes Week at www.habinteg.org.uk/fah.

Watch the webinar

Accessible Homes Week may be over, but the conversation about accessible housing continues.

You can watch the full webinar on Habinteg's YouTube channel and read the Adaptability Gap report to find out more about the research.

You can also read and share more stories from the campaign on our Accessible Homes Week news page.

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Have you experienced problems because your home doesn't meet your needs, or found ways to make your home more accessible? We'd love to hear from you. We're always looking for tenants to share their experiences with us. Your story could help others understand why accessible housing matters. If you'd like to get involved, email us at comms@habinteg.org.uk .