Accessible Housing Scotland wins Disability Smart Impact Award

The specialist company was named winner in the Disability Smart Impact Customer Experience (small organisation) category at an awards ceremony in London on 29 April, organised by Business Disability Forum (BDF) and hosted by HSBC.

The Disability Smart Impact Customer Experience (small organisation) Award is given to an organisation with fewer than 250 staff which has provided excellent customer experience to everyone – including disabled customers, service users or clients - breaking down barriers experienced by disabled people either in person or online.

Accessible Housing Scotland is transforming what it means for disabled people and their families to find a place to call home. By supporting people to rent, buy, adapt their current home, or plan for future needs, their work directly improves independence, safety and wellbeing. At the heart of their approach is to break down the barriers disabled people too often face in the housing market.

The organisation supports clients across Scotland with a wide range of needs, including wheelchair users, people with progressive conditions, neurodiverse individuals, and families planning for future care.

Each person’s accessibility requirements are explored as early as possible, with support delivered through a single, trusted point of contact. This creates a seamless experience during what can be a stressful and complex process - particularly when navigating the additional barriers disabled people can face when renting or buying a home.

In their feedback, the judging panel said the organisation fills a critical gap in the housing market while maintaining a deeply personalised approach. For clients facing urgent or emotionally complex situations, having a calm, knowledgeable guide through this process can be life-changing. By helping people secure homes that truly meet their needs, now and in the future, Accessible Housing Scotland is enabling disabled people to live with greater independence, stability and confidence.

Business Disability Forum’s annual Disability Smart Impact Awards recognise organisations and individuals that are improving the life experiences of disabled employees and consumers by removing barriers to inclusion. The awards are a platform for sharing evidence and learnings from real-life projects that have had a positive and tangible impact on disabled people’s lives.

Accessible Housing Scotland was among 14 organisations and individuals who won a Disability Smart Impact Award this year.

Michael Connolly, director, said: “We’re absolutely delighted to receive this award. Accessible Housing Scotland was created to tackle a problem that too many people still face living in homes that simply don’t meet their needs. This recognition means a great deal to us because it reflects the real-life impact our work has on the people and families we support every day.

“We’re a small organisation, but we care deeply about what we do, and we’re committed to continuing to improve access to suitable housing and support people to live more independently.”

The other finalists in this category were Greenwich+Docklands International Festival and Thrive Together Support.

Diane Lightfoot, CEO of Business Disability Forum, said: “Congratulations to Accessible Housing Scotland on their win in this year’s Disability Smart Impact Awards.

“Each of our winners demonstrates the powerful results that emerge when organisations and disabled people collaborate to drive meaningful change. Their achievements are excellent, real-life examples of disability inclusion in action.”