Organisation: West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA)
Location: Birmingham
Summary: Habinteg Housing Association, and its access consultancy, Centre for Accessible Environments (CAE), created The Accessible Housing Review for the West Midlands Combined Authority report, which was submitted to the WMCA in April 2024. This report was co-authored by Habinteg’s Director of Social Impact and External Affairs, Christina McGill, and CAE’s Head of Business Development, Fara Muneer. It has fed into WMCA’s Making the West Midlands an Exemplary Region for Disabled People 2024 report, which was published in April 2025.
About WMCA
The WMCA has strategic powers over transport, economic development and regeneration in the region. It comprises the seven constituent authorities of Birmingham City Council, Coventry City Council, Dudley Metro Borough Council, Sandwell Metro Borough Council, Solihull Metro Borough Council, Walsall Council and the City of Wolverhampton.
WMCA working together with Habinteg and CAE
In late 2023, Habinteg and CAE were approached by the authority regarding the creation of a detailed review of the accessible housing offer across the region to inform their Inclusive Growth Agenda. The review would support WMCA’s aim to deliver better quality housing for disabled people with the goal of reducing health inequalities in the region, as part of its wellbeing delivery priorities.
WMCA needed to understand the current position on: what is the housing offer like in the WMCA area, what is the likely supply and demand for accessible homes, and how effective are the services associated with meeting that demand across the combined authority.
Habinteg and CAE worked closely with WMCA to analyse:
- The accessible housing offer across the seven local authority areas.
- Current and projected demand for accessible homes.
- The efficacy of housing services and support systems.
This work aimed to embed inclusion and accessibility more deeply into WMCA’s housing strategy, helping to close the gap in health and housing inequalities across the region.
An in-person workshop with disabled people from the WMCA region.
Stakeholder and resident consultation
A core strength of the review was a commitment to meaningful stakeholder engagement. Habinteg and CAE carried out a series of consultation activities with disabled people and key WMCA stakeholders, including:
- An online survey with over 120 responses from disabled people and their family members.
- An online workshop with residents.
- An in-person workshop with disabled people from the WMCA region.
- Input from officers across all seven local authorities, housing professionals, and third sector partners.
This inclusive approach ensured the voices of residents with lived experience and those involved in delivering services informed every stage of the review.
Key findings and recommendations
The review produced fresh insight and eight strategic recommendations to support the WMCA in improving housing outcomes for disabled people. Highlights included:
- An estimate of wheelchair-accessible housing need across the region and delivery pathways to 2040.
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An in-person workshop with disabled people from the WMCA region.
Proposals for how to leverage WMCA’s grant funding powers to increase the proportion of accessible homes.
- A proposed innovation project to develop a regionally adaptable ‘accessible retrofit’ model.
- A call to establish a regional housing accessibility audit, using a consistent dataset across all local authorities.
Impact
The review’s findings are now shaping future strategy for WMCA, setting a blueprint for a more inclusive housing landscape. The resulting report was The Accessible Housing Review for the West Midlands Combined Authority. These recommendations ensure the WMCA can make a tangible positive difference to the housing opportunities of its disabled and older residents in both the short and longer term.
The WMCA have demonstrated its commitment to reducing inequalities for disabled people by creating a dedicated Disability Inclusion Manager post who will lead the exemplary region ambition and influence the accessible housing work.
WMCA’s Senior Policy Officer – Health and Disability, Dr. Mark Fosbrook, is delighted to take on this role and said:
“The report has generated conversations across the housing landscape, creating much more informed conversations than previously were had. This work aligns with the Mayor of the West Midlands’ priority of Homes for Everyone and will help shape future accessible homes in the region. I really hope this can be the start of a wonderful collaboration to explore how we can reduce inequalities for disabled people. I firmly believe that housing has a significant part to play in that and really value support from experts such as CAE and the members of the group.”
Habinteg’s Director of Social Impact and External Affairs, Christina McGill said: “We’re pleased the report is making an impact and generating discussion of how to meet the needs of disabled residents. It was vital that disabled people were at the centre of this review.
“Our joint approach with WMCA ensured the recommendations reflect real experiences and regional needs. WMCA has an opportunity to reflect its commitment to inclusive growth throughout its strategic approach to housing, setting a context for better health and wellbeing for all and demonstrating an exemplar model for improving the housing experience of disabled people.”