‘Until Disabled People Get Consulted …’: The Role of Occupational Therapy in Meeting Housing Needs

Abstract

This article reports oh a study of the housing needs of people with disabilities (aged 16 to 65) in Shropshire. The study included interviews with disabled people and with frontline and managerial staff in several agencies, a survey of disabled people, and the analysis of quantitative data. The findings highlight the high level of need for adaptations and more appropriate housing for disabled people; the importance of greater user involvement in the way needs are identified and services provided; the need for reform of the Disabled Facilities Grant system; and the need for an integrated inter-agency approach to meeting disabled people's housing needs.