Accessible Housing Register for London - project update
The London Accessible Housing Register (AHR) project, launched April 2006 at the Greater London Authority’s (GLA) Disability Capital Conference. The GLA commissioned a team of consultants, led by Home Connections to develop the key elements of the AHR. This commission formed the 1st phase of Capital Moves the Pan-London choice based lettings scheme.
A pilot involving all London local authorities, a range of housing associations and organisations of disabled people will be taking place across London from September to December.
London has been at the forefront of the Government’s agenda on choice and mobility and is currently developing Capital Moves, the pan-London choice based lettings and mobility (CBLM) scheme. The London AHR is phase 1 of Capital Moves, ensuring that disabled people benefit from choice based lettings schemes on an equal basis to other people and to keep step with the Disability Equality Duty . Extending choice and mobility across London and setting up a London AHR are key policy priorities for the Mayor and are targets in the London Housing Strategy 2005-16.
Involving disabled people
A Disability Advisory Group has been set up to inform the development of the project. The group is made up of disabled people across London who have experience of looking for housing and using choice based lettings schemes.
Some of the barriers they have identified are:
- lack of or inaccurate information about the accessibility of properties
- information not provided in accessible formats
- short timescales for bidding and not being allowed to view a property before bidding to check that it is suitable for their needs
- medical assessments are superficial and do not take into account wider social issues and barriers they are experiencing getting into and moving around their homes
- lack of priority for rehousing
- discriminatory attitudes of housing officers who often make assumptions about disabled people.
The development of choice based lettings schemes provides an opportunity to give disabled people more choice in how their housing needs and preferences are met. By applying the social model of disability, the wider social, institutional and physical issues that create barriers for disabled people can be taken into account.
The London AHR aims to:
- deliver high quality information,
- informed choice and mobility across London for disabled people
- ensure that accessible and adapted housing is used more effectively to meet the needs of disabled people
Achievements so far
Advisory Group of Disabled People
- Survey of all London boroughs & Housing Associations
- Draft standard classification scheme for properties and property inspection checklist & pilot of these
- Recommendations for incorporating private sector options
Integration with CBL
The AHR project is overseen by the GLA’s London AHR Steering made up of key stakeholders in London including the Housing Corporation, the London Housing Federation, the ALG, housing associations, local authorities and organisations of disabled people. These are to:
If you would like more information about the project, please contact the project leader at Home Connections - Ninesh Muthiah ninesh.muthiah@camden.gov.uk or the project coordinator at the GLA - Isabel Robertson Isabel.Robertson@london.gov.uk
CBL schema to become national data standard
The Home Connections XML Schema is a freely available data standard for use by landlords and IT suppliers for choice-based lettings (CBL) services. It facilitates data sharing and the development of regional CBL schemes.After undergoing a period of review by the housing user community the Local e-government Standards Body (LEGSB) has agreed that the Home Connections schema is made into a draft recommendation.
We welcome further comment from some users - the Schemas are now held on the home-connections web site available for FTP download. This FTP area will be the main URL referenced by the LegsB site. For further information contact info@home-connections.co.uk.
Download XML Schema Package (ZIP)
CBL Individual Structure
CBL Individual Data Message
CBL Individual Admin Structure
CBL Personal Details Types Version 1.0
CBL Property Structure
CBL Property Data Message
CBL Property Allocations
CBL Property Admin Structure
CBL Address Types Version 1.0
CBL Address Structure
CBL Data Types
CBL Data Supplier Codes
CBL Contact Types Version 1.0
CBL Data Types
CBL Common Simple Types Version 1.0
CBL Message Wrapper
CBL National Ethnicity Codes
CBL Authority Specific Data
CBL Bid Admin Structure
CBL Bid Data Message
DCLG (then ODPM) Good Practice Guide
- “Home Connections measures performance against a series of critical success factors linked to the aims of the scheme. Evaluation includes analysis of the database to identify changing patterns of supply and demand, use of customer focus groups, and postal questionnaire surveys.” (ODPM Good Practice Guide “Implementing and Developing Choice-Based Lettings: A guide to key issues”)
- “Home Connections measures performance against a series of critical success factors linked to the aims of the scheme. Evaluation includes analysis of the database to identify changing patterns of supply and demand, use of customer focus groups, and postal questionnaire surveys.” (ODPM Good Practice Guide “Implementing and Developing Choice-Based Lettings: A guide to key issues”)
