Warnings that lack of social housing is harming disabled residents’ health

Members of a disability and inclusion forum have raised concerns over the lack of social housing in the Royal Borough – and the negative health impact this can have.

A public consultation into the borough’s 2026-2036 joint health and wellbeing strategy (put together in collaboration with the council, NHS and other partners) is running until December 7.

The strategy was presented to Disability and Inclusion Forum members at a meeting at the Town Hall on Monday (December 1) to get more diverse views and feedback.

In the next 10 years, the Borough’s priorities include promoting positive mental health and wellbeing among children, promoting oral health, and preventing childhood obesity.

For adults and elderly residents, the focus goes towards promoting independence, tackling loneliness, encouraging healthy behaviours and tackling the harm caused by alcohol and tobacco.

There are four outcomes within the strategy that focus on ‘best start in life’ during childhood, living well in adulthood, healthy ageing, and ensuring the borough is a healthy place to live in.

But forum members raised concerns about the inequalities faced by disabled people and the need for these groups to be involved in the development of the strategy.

Forum member Sandra Balogac said there is a need for more social housing because living conditions have a ‘direct relationship and impact’ on people’s health.

Ms Balogac said: “I’m speaking for people who don’t have a voice. People with disabilities have a shorter lifespan – and housing is a pertinent question.

“Sadly, we haven’t made any progress on that within the Royal Borough.”

She continued: “The more pertinent point is the lack of social housing in the area, whilst we’ve seen a tremendous increase in building and the failure for those promises to be made good by our developers. It’s an ongoing issue.”

Lizzie Jones, the forum’s vice chair, agreed and said that accessible housing is something that is ‘very close to her heart’.

Councillor Cathrine Del Campo (Lib Dem, Furze Platt), the council’s cabinet member for housing services, said the council is making ‘modest success’ when it comes to social housing.

Cllr Del Campo said: “We are making progress; the wheels are starting to turn. I totally understand how frustrating this is – the pace is never fast enough for any of us, I don’t think.

“As an administration we are very keen on social housing as the most appropriate form affordable tenure for this borough.

“Shared ownership and affordable rent models are still very expensive in expensive boroughs like RBWM.”

She added that between 90 and 100 units of social housing will be coming into the borough in the next six months.

This includes an additional 32 social housing units that the council secured at Sawyers Close, a housing development in Windsor.

The strategy will be brought back to the council’s health and wellbeing board at a meeting in January next year.