Adapt Now: Welsh homes for MND

We are calling on the Welsh Government to ensure people with MND have safe and accessible homes

Our Act to Adapt campaign showed people living with MND are becoming trapped in inaccessible homes because they cannot afford, or access support for, necessary adaptations. Some people with MND have died while waiting for alterations to be made and the pandemic has worsened the situation in many cases.

Whilst Act to Adapt focuses on improving councils' home adaptation systems, our Welsh Homes for MND campaign is making the same case to the Welsh Government.

List of asks for the Welsh Homes for MND campaign

We are asking the Welsh Government takes action by:

Ensuring local authorities have a transparent, fast-track, non-means tested process for adaptations
Reporting on the timely installation of adaptations - as set out in its Housing Adaptations Service Standards.

The story so far

January 2021: we publish our Manifesto for Wales, including proposals on improving housing adaptation systems and policies. Read our Welsh version or English version for further details.
March 2021: following a debate on MND and questions in the Senedd, the Welsh Government announces that it will remove the means test from small and medium disabled facilities grants from April. This is a great win for people with MND in Wales.
April 2021: Welsh Government announce additional £1 million to be offered to local authorities to avoid using means testing for medium sized adaptations.
May 2021: an amazing 74 candidates in the Senedd elections from five political parties support our housing adaptation proposals
June 2021: 11 Senedd members attend or are represented at our virtual Welsh Homes For MND event. They hear directly from people affected by MND and professionals about why a fast-track process for housing adaptations is sorely needed.
December 2021: 41 Senedd members from across the political spectrum voted overwhelmingly in support of introducing a fast-track and non-means tested process for those with MND in Wales. Minister for Health and Social Services confirms that all local authorities should have removed means testing for small and medium sized adaptations by April 2022.
Now: We will continue to campaign for a fast-track process to be introduced by councils for people with MND.

What next?

Over the summer we collected more evidence to persuade decision-makers of the need for change. We'll then be bringing our findings before Senedd members at an event in October. This will help us raise awareness of the challenges people face and give us the opportunity to offer solutions.

Take a look at the report of our findings at the links below.