Making homes accessible is a particular challenge in England as we have some of the oldest housing stock in Europe. It was never designed to be suitable for people with accessibility needs.

The demand for aids and adaptations is also growing with the most recent government figures showing that there were 16 million disabled people in the UK in 2022, an increase of 4

four million in 10 years. In that time the proportion of the population who are disabled rose from 19% to 24% and the proportion of households with one or more members with a disability increased from 34% in 2020, to 36% in 2022.

Budgets and resources are stretched to breaking point leading to long waits across the country for major adaptations, but registered providers have clear obligations with regard to ensuring tenants can access aids and adaptations. As the RSH Safety and Quality Standard states: “Registered providers must co-operate with tenants, appropriate local authority departments and other relevant organisations so that a housing adaptations service is available to tenants where appropriate.”

Unfortunately, the Housing Ombudsman’s Learning from Severe Maladministration report from January 2025 shone a light on significant failings across the sector related to aids and adaptations services and highlighted that “Callous and uncaring systems and processes are repeatedly exposed through these investigations”.

There’s undeniably a need to:

• Improve the customer service and experience
• Work in partnership with others and make more effective use of stretched resources
• Streamline processes
• Shorten waiting times
• Strengthen data and record keeping.

To help you with this, we have updated the HQN aids and adaptations toolkit, reflecting guidance from the government in 2022, learnings from the Housing Ombudsman Service in 2025, and the Consumer Standards.

Kevin Bentley, HQN associate, will lead the session and take delegates through the new toolkit, using his experience to set out the key elements of a comprehensive approach to aids and adaptations.

He’ll provide an overview of the end-to-end process, setting out practical solutions to the common challenges faced by landlords.

This virtual workshop will cover all aspects of the aids and adaptation journey, including:

• Developing a strategic approach to aids and adaptations, taking into account current stock condition, customer profiling and demographic information regarding current and future demands
• Identifying potential sources of funding and being innovative with solutions
• Installation and  dealing with major works
• Rehousing options
• Letting policies and accessible housing registers
• Recycling aids and adaptations
• Major and minor adaptations
• Improving the customer journey.

If you have a particular challenge that you’d like to discuss please let us know in advance. We’ll make sure we cover it.

This masterclass is essential for everyone looking to improve their approach to aids and adaptations and deliver better outcomes for tenants.

Essential for:

• Directors of housing
• Directors of asset management
• Surveyors
• Heads of housing
• Heads of service responsible for aids and adaptations service
• Housing managers and officers
• Heads of allocations
• Customer service teams
• Local Authority strategic housing and private sector teams
• Occupational therapists
• Anyone working on aids and adaptations in councils or registered providers.

10:30am Chair’s welcome and introduction

• Kevin Bentley, Associate, HQN

10:40am Improving the customer journey

• Kevin Bentley, Associate, HQN

Kevin will lead the session providing practical tips, expert insights and tailored support in breakout groups to kickstart real service improvements.

11:10am The Local Authority role – strategic and landlord

• Rachel Shalan, Private Sector Housing Manager Housing Solutions, Central Bedfordshire Council

Rachel Shalan will talk through the improvement journey the council have recently been through on delivering aids and adaptations.  She will share their experience of dealing with long waiting lists and complex needs.  As Central Bedfordshire Council has recently put the management of their council housing aids and adaptation service into her team Rachel will cover both the strategic council role alongside the council landlord role.

11:50am Break

12:10pm Aids and Adaptations – the HQN toolkit

• Kevin Bentley, Associate, HQN

Kevin Bentley will lead this masterclass taking delegates through the newly updated HQN aids and adaptation toolkit.   He will cover how to streamline processes, avoid common pitfalls and boost outcomes for tenants.

12:30pm Breakout sessions

12:50pm Feedback from breakout sessions

• Kevin Bentley, Associate, HQN

1:00pm  Close

If you are unable to attend an event or public training course, please let us know in writing (email is fine) at least 48 hours before. Please email [email protected]

Otherwise, a cancellation fee of £60 plus VAT will be chargeable.

If you are using a package place to attend and do not inform us within the agreed time frame, then a place will be taken to cover your non-attendance.

Cancellations must be made in writing and will be acknowledged by HQN Limited.