Lifetime Homes Standard

The Lifetime Homes Standard has been developed to support flexible, adaptable and accessible homes that can respond to changes in individual circumstances.  If considering the wider sustainability of stock in social terms, incorporating Lifetime Homes wherever possible is recommended.  Lifetime Homes is usually associated with new housing, but opportunities will arise during refurbishment and major repairs to improve features in existing homes that comply with Lifetime Homes.  Lifetime Homes sets 16 standards associated with the following areas:

• Car parking
• Paths
• Entrances to buildings
• Accessibility of communal stairs and lifts
• Width of doorways, hallways and stairs
• Sufficient space in kitchens, dining areas and living rooms for turning wheelchairs
• Living rooms and WCs at entrance level (and the possibility of providing a bedroom in 2 storey houses)
• Provision of handrails and lifts on staircases
• Provision of showers in entrance-level WC in future
• Bedroom ceiling strong enough to support a hoist
• Positioning of windows to ensure easy operation
• Positioning of switches and sockets and service controls to ensure easy operation.
  
  Some of these elements can be fitted to existing houses during refurbishment.  However, several of the standards will need changes to the design of a building which may or may not be appropriate.  You will want to consider which elements of the standard you would like to incorporate.

For more details, see ?Meeting Part M and Designing Lifetime Homes, C Carrol, J Cowans, D Darton, Joseph Rowntree Foundation, or follow the link to the Joseph Rowntree Website. 

Opportunities to incorporate Lifetime Homes standard include:

• Installing new kitchens and bathrooms
• Re-designing homes
• Replacing windows
• Replacing wiring
• Re-designing/repairing external space
• Repairs to roof of ceilings