Unsafe, Unsuitable, Unfair: Housing Bias Against Disabilities
This week's Property Matters podcast takes on an important and often overlooked subject – bias in customer service and the wider difficulties people with disabilities face in accessing housing, banking and insurance.
Hosted by Gareth Wax and joined by Hamish McLay, the discussion will also feature Wendy Gibson from The First Time Buyers Club, along with Spencer, who has been looking closely at how bias creeps into the everyday systems that should support people rather than shut them out.
Across housing in the UK, bias and inequality show up in many different forms. Social housing tenants often face the sharpest end of it, with long waiting lists, reduced choice, and at times poor-quality accommodation.
For those with disabilities, the situation is even harder. Accessible homes are in short supply, and too many application processes still contain hurdles that make it difficult to secure the right support. It means the people most in need of stable, safe housing are often the ones forced to fight hardest to get it.
The dangers become even starker when you look at high-rise living. The Grenfell tragedy remains a painful reminder of what happens when safety and accessibility are overlooked. A majority of those who died were people with disabilities, living in flats where escape routes were inadequate and support systems failed.
The ongoing problems at Royal Artillery Quays show how this legacy continues today, with residents trapped in homes that feel unsafe and unsellable. These are not isolated stories, but symptoms of deeper systemic issues.
Support in housing generally feels patchy. While some councils and housing associations go to great lengths to adapt homes or provide assistance, others fall behind. For many disabled tenants, the promise of 'reasonable adjustments' often translates to long waits and partial solutions.
Combined with the pressures of rising rents and a shortage of new social housing, it creates an environment where those already disadvantaged face even greater challenges.
The property sector cannot ignore these realities. Bias isn’t only found in banking forms or insurance applications; it is written into the bricks and mortar of where and how people live.
Until access, safety, and equality become central to housing policy and delivery, the same groups will continue to shoulder the greatest risks.
Join us on Tuesday 26th August at 1pm for Property Matters, live on LinkedIn and YouTube. With Gareth, Hamish, Wendy Gibson and Spencer, the conversation will be a chance to shine a light on the changes needed across housing, banking and insurance to ensure no one is left behind.
Never miss an episode of Spilling the Proper-Tea again, subscribe to our YouTube Channel to catch or watch live: https://www.youtube.com/@SpillingTheProper-Tea
For content enquiries: hm@searchandconveysolutions.co.uk
For podcast/media info: gareth@mphats.com
Hosted by Gareth Wax and joined by Hamish McLay, the discussion will also feature Wendy Gibson from The First Time Buyers Club, along with Spencer, who has been looking closely at how bias creeps into the everyday systems that should support people rather than shut them out.
Across housing in the UK, bias and inequality show up in many different forms. Social housing tenants often face the sharpest end of it, with long waiting lists, reduced choice, and at times poor-quality accommodation.
For those with disabilities, the situation is even harder. Accessible homes are in short supply, and too many application processes still contain hurdles that make it difficult to secure the right support. It means the people most in need of stable, safe housing are often the ones forced to fight hardest to get it.
The dangers become even starker when you look at high-rise living. The Grenfell tragedy remains a painful reminder of what happens when safety and accessibility are overlooked. A majority of those who died were people with disabilities, living in flats where escape routes were inadequate and support systems failed.
The ongoing problems at Royal Artillery Quays show how this legacy continues today, with residents trapped in homes that feel unsafe and unsellable. These are not isolated stories, but symptoms of deeper systemic issues.
Support in housing generally feels patchy. While some councils and housing associations go to great lengths to adapt homes or provide assistance, others fall behind. For many disabled tenants, the promise of 'reasonable adjustments' often translates to long waits and partial solutions.
Combined with the pressures of rising rents and a shortage of new social housing, it creates an environment where those already disadvantaged face even greater challenges.
The property sector cannot ignore these realities. Bias isn’t only found in banking forms or insurance applications; it is written into the bricks and mortar of where and how people live.
Until access, safety, and equality become central to housing policy and delivery, the same groups will continue to shoulder the greatest risks.
Join us on Tuesday 26th August at 1pm for Property Matters, live on LinkedIn and YouTube. With Gareth, Hamish, Wendy Gibson and Spencer, the conversation will be a chance to shine a light on the changes needed across housing, banking and insurance to ensure no one is left behind.
Never miss an episode of Spilling the Proper-Tea again, subscribe to our YouTube Channel to catch or watch live: https://www.youtube.com/@SpillingTheProper-Tea
For content enquiries: hm@searchandconveysolutions.co.uk
For podcast/media info: gareth@mphats.com
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