Disabled people “prisoners in own homes”

DISABLED people are becoming “prisoners in their own homes” because much-needed adaptations to their houses are not being carried out, it has been revealed.

A huge waiting list of people in the region are desperate for aids and adaptations, but the work cannot be completed due to a shortage of funding to registered social landlords.

Wheatley Homes South, Cunninghame Housing Association, and Loreburn Housing Association are the region’s biggest registered social landlords (RSLs), but it is claimed they are short of cash to meet the demand for disabled adaptations to their housing stock.

The issue was raised at the recent special council meeting to discuss the region’s Local Housing Strategy for 2025-30.

Stranraer and the Rhins Councillor Willie Scobie said: “There are some 2000 people, maybe more, who both in the public and private sector who are looking for aids and adaptations.

“We then hear from the registered social landlords that they don’t have sufficient monies to provide for the aid and adaptation that the council’s occupational therapy services recommend.

“There is not enough money to provide for the aid and adaptation that is required, and these people are literally prisoners in their own home.”

Addressing this problem should be a priority, argued Cllr Scobie, and he highlighted how it is also directly linked to delayed discharges from hospital.

He said: “People will be unable to get out (of hospital) because their house is not suitable and yet there’s no monies available for the registered social landlords or the private sector to tackle that.

“So I would hope that this does feature in the forthcoming local housing strategy in terms of a priority.”

A Wheatley Homes spokesperson said: “Adaptations help our disabled tenants live safely, with dignity, and independently in their homes for as long as possible.

“So far, 38 of the 72 referrals which were approved have already been carried out, with work to begin shortly on the other 34.”