Disabled People’s Organisations (DPOs) are calling for urgent action from the UK government in response to the final report of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry. Disability News Service (DNS) reported that Inclusion London, Disability Rights UK, Harrow Association of Disabled People, Spinal Injuries Association, and Claddag – have set out seven key steps they believe are essential to improving safety and housing policy for Disabled residents in high-rise buildings.
The Grenfell fire in June 2017 claimed 72 lives, around 20 of whom were Disabled people. The inquiry has revealed a long history of neglect regarding Disabled people’s safety in such residential buildings. DPOs argue that this tragedy was not just the result of inadequate fire safety, but also systemic disablism and racism. The complaints and warnings raised by residents, particularly Disabled and Black residents, were consistently ignored, contributing to the disaster. In their statement, the campaigners stress the urgency of a “sea change” in the way housing law and safety policy are designed and implemented to prioritise Disabled people’s safety.
The Seven Key Steps for Change
One of the main demands is the implementation of Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEPs) for Disabled residents who may struggle to self-evacuate. This recommendation was made years ago but consistently avoided by previous Conservative governments, which the DPOs described as “unforgivable.” The Grenfell Inquiry report supports this recommendation, and the campaigners are hopeful that the new government will take immediate action.
Another significant point is revising the definition of “higher-risk buildings” in fire safety regulations. Currently, only the height of a building determines whether it is considered high-risk. DPOs argue that the presence of Disabled residents who may find it difficult to evacuate should also be a critical factor. This change would ensure that more buildings receive the necessary fire safety precautions based on the vulnerabilities of their residents, not just their physical structure.
The campaigners are also pushing for the extension of PEEPs to cover all buildings governed by the Fire Safety Order, rather than limiting them to high-rise buildings. This would make evacuation plans mandatory for Disabled residents in all types of residential properties.
Additionally, the DPOs have called for new accessible housing laws to ensure that all newly built homes meet the M4(2) standard, making them adaptable and accessible. They also demand that 10% of new homes be built to the more stringent M4(3) standard, which requires full wheelchair accessibility.
Finally, the organisations stress the need for meaningful consultation with Disabled people and our representative groups on fire safety policies and regulations. This would prevent a repeat of past failures, where concerns raised by Disabled residents and experts were often dismissed. DPOs want this to be enshrined as a legal right, ensuring Disabled people are consulted on issues affecting the safety and repair of the buildings in which they live.
The tragedies of Grenfell Tower hit people of Bristol deeply in November 2023 when residents of Barton House in St. Paul’s faced an emergency evacuation due to fire safety concerns. Many of the residents were Disabled people who felt completely unprepared for such an event. People with mobility impairments may face physical barriers to evacuating a building, people who are Learning Disabled can face challenges understanding instructions in an urgent evacuation and neurodivergent people may have difficulty processing sudden changes or following instructions, especially in a chaotic or sensory-overloading environment, where loud alarms, bright lights, and crowds can cause distress. While no lives were lost, the evacuation of Barton House revealed a lack of adequate evacuation planning for Disabled people in high-rise buildings, mirroring the problems seen at Grenfell.
Residents of Barton House had previously raised concerns about fire safety in their building, and like Grenfell, these concerns went largely unaddressed until the crisis occurred. The incident prompted renewed calls from local DPOs for the city council and building managers to prioritise safety measures for Disabled people in high-rise buildings. This included implementing PEEPs and ensuring that all residents are made aware of evacuation procedures.
Though we are grateful that Barton House did not face the same tragic outcome as Grenfell, the evacuation exposed systemic failings that still leave Disabled people at risk. It also highlighted that these safety concerns are not just isolated incidents, but part of a larger, national pattern of neglect.
Lessons must be learned about the urgent need for changes to housing and safety policy at both the local and national levels – without swift implementation of the necessary safety measures and laws, Disabled residents across the UK will continue to be at risk. DPOs are determined to ensure that Disabled people are no longer sidelined when it comes to their safety in the places they call home.
The government now has a crucial opportunity to listen to these demands and take action, ensuring that tragedies like Grenfell are never repeated. But this requires more than just policy changes; it requires a cultural shift in how we view and address the safety of Disabled people. If successful, the changes advocated by DPOs could prevent future disasters and mark a significant step toward disability equality in housing across the UK.
