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Minister hears better disabled access plea





Inclusion Scotland
Inclusion Scotland

A YOUNG Inverness woman who uses an electric wheelchair quizzed a government minister on why it appears new social housing is being built in Inverness without being disabled friendly.

Minister for Social Security Jeane Freeman took part in a question and answer session with Inclusion Scotland at the Merkinch Community Centre when Rebecca Nicholson described how she faced difficulty after having to return from further education in Stirling.

Her parents had moved into a new house that did not have the disabled facilities of the previous house, and Rebecca’s bedroom had to double as a bathroom meaning she did not have any space for herself.

Miss Nicholson said: "I have been on the housing list for a year but I keep drawing a blank as there are no accessible properties available and will not be for quite some time.

"There are lots of houses being built in Inverness area and I want to know why they cannot be made wheelchair accessible. I am asking why this is, out of sheer desperation."

Ms Freeman said: "I am surprised if there is social housing, that is getting funds, that is not being made accessible.

"Kevin Stewart the minister for local government has been very clear with local authorities that this housing has to be accessible to all.

"I will pursue the notion that in Inverness there is social housing being built, and if it is being built without accessibility then that is not right."

The Minister was on a summer tour to gain feedback from service users, representatives and staff from various agencies, charities and local authorities across Scotland.

John Beaton, Inclusion Scotland’s Highlands policy and engagement officer, opened the event by outlining their Highland Localisation and Empowerment Project (HELP), aimed at increasing the number of disabled people and their organisations taking part in local decision making in Highland where about 40,000 adults or one in five are disabled.

He too wondered why homes are still being built that are not accessible to all,

Mr Beaton said that part of the accessibility problem was that disabled people are not involved in local and national decision making. He said: "Your participation is the way to ensure that services are shaped to your needs. You need to change attitudes so that it is commonplace to consider the needs of the disabled."

Elsie Normington, whose trust is raising £4 million to build respite centre in Inverness for children and young people with multiple complex learning needs, asked the minister if Scottish Government capital funding was available to assist such projects. To date £500,000 had been raised.

Ms Freeman said there are periodic project reviews, and she would find out what money might be available and let her know.

Ms Freeman told the meeting her government is committed to building a rights based social security system "that includes dignity, fairness and respect."

She added: "The Scottish Government is committed to working with disabled people and those organisations which represent them. To enable us to get this right we need lasting and enduring solutions to remove the barriers which prevent disabled people from maximising their potential.

"Our commitment is about real engagement and working together with agencies like Inclusion Scotland to come up with practical ideas and real solutions."

Ms Freeman later visited Inverness Women’s Aid and said an issue was the problems with the new universal credit and the hardship that follows delays in first payments in terms of rent and the ability to retain a house.

"This evidence certainly reinforces the Scottish government’s call to pause the roll-out and fix the problems that are there," she said. "In relation to Women’s Aid I think in a situation where women are dealing with significant trauma that comes from domestic violence and are making this difficult step towards making a life without that, making the benefit system more difficult and complicated than it needs to be simply adds to that."


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