Mainstreaming accessible design: Reflections from our inclusive living roundtable with Invisible Creations
On Wednesday, 25th June, Housing LIN and Invisible Creations/ProCARE Ltd brought together leading voices from across the housing and ageing sectors to discuss how we can better mainstream adaptations and inclusive design in everyday living. Held in Manchester alongside the Housing 2025 conference, the roundtable was a vibrant forum for sharing innovative ideas and practical solutions.
We were privileged to welcome Millie Brown, Deputy Director for Homes at the Centre for Ageing Better, whose presentation highlighted recent findings from the State of Ageing report (opens new window), as well as the Safe Homes campaign and Good Homes Hubs (opens new window) initiative. Hot off the press, she also shared the Centre’s new analysis highlighting the limited number of fully accessible homes in the UK and the stark regional disparities, revealing that some residents are six times less likely than others to find an accessible home. Her insights set the stage for an engaging discussion on embedding accessibility in both retrofit and new-build contexts.
Contributors from housing providers, architecture, law, local government, and ageing advocacy shared experiences and strategies for influencing policy and driving change—from designing better homes to championing a Healthy Homes Hub for every council.
We extend sincere thanks to our partner Invisible Creations/ProCARE Ltd and to all attendees for their thoughtful input and passion for inclusive design. Your contributions are helping to reframe how we think about adaptations, not as optional extras, but as integral to healthy, safe and dignified living for all.
To learn more about design, visit our dedicated design hub at https://www.housinglin.org.uk/Topics/browse/Design-building/