National strategy required to unify accessibility efforts, podcast told

Speaking on the Scottish Housing News Podcast, Michael Driscoll, chair of the Scottish Accessible Housing Network and CEO of Horizon Housing, and Jill Pritchard, Horizon’s chair and a long‑standing advocate for inclusive design, said the next government must treat accessible housing as “essential infrastructure” and introduce national targets backed by accountability.

Their comments follow the launch of the Scottish Accessible Housing Network’s national call to action, which argues that Scotland faces a growing crisis in accessible and adaptable homes—one that is currently overshadowed by other housing pressures.

“This area simply isn’t getting the airtime”

Driscoll said the run‑up to the election is the moment to push accessible housing up the political agenda.

“Across the whole housing sector we hear about homelessness, child poverty, net zero. But this particular area isn’t up there in terms of being discussed at those levels,” he said. “We’re not prepared for the demographic shift coming over the next 20 years.”

He warned that tens of thousands of people are already living in unsuitable homes, with demand set to rise sharply as Scotland’s population ages.

Call for national targets — and accountability

A central ask in the Scottish Accessible Housing Network’s statement is the creation of national targets for accessible housing. But Pritchard said targets are meaningless without accountability.

“Nobody is held to account to deliver on this,” she said. “There are strategies and policy documents, but no actual targets.”

She argued that Scotland needs a system that measures outcomes for people, not just the number of stairlifts or ramps installed.

Pritchard welcomed the Scottish Government’s new adaptations review, meeting for the first time on the day of the recording, but stressed that previous reviews have already recommended a single funding pot.

Driscoll added that the issue is not only about more money, but smarter use of existing budgets: “Increasing proactive spend on adaptations could reduce hospital discharge delays. But we need a long‑term funding approach, not annual allocations that arrive halfway through the year.”

A national picture — not pockets of good practice

Both guests praised the high quality of new social housing being delivered but said Scotland still lacks a coordinated national approach.

Driscoll warned that accessible housing cannot be solved through social housing alone: “The private sector is a massive part of the market. Many people who need accessible homes are in a position to buy, but there’s no clear way to find accessible properties.”

Pritchard stressed that accessible design must reflect the full spectrum of disability, not just wheelchair use.

“Most people with long‑term disabilities don’t use a wheelchair indoors. Good design for dementia, neurodiversity and cognitive challenges is often simple and inexpensive—things like task lighting or contrasting door handles.”

She said involving people with lived experience early in the design process is “critical”, and that post‑occupancy evaluation should become routine.

Sending a clear message for the next government, Driscoll concluded: “We need to pause, think differently and plan nationally. Otherwise, we’ll be reacting to a crisis in 20 years that we could have prevented.”

Listen to or watch the episode here, or read the transcript.