The NDIS is supposed to fix this and provide the housing people need. How they propose to do this will hopefully be revealed when the Housing paper that has been delayed for 2 years is released.

The infographic above (text also below) sums up the problem. This is not an issue that can be ignored any longer – we need to plan for the housing needs of people with disability now so they can be accommodated once the NDIS rolls out across Australia.

TAKE ACTION: Take 1 minute to ask the NDIA to release their Disability Housing Options paper.

Infographic content:

What is the plan for housing

There is a housing crisis looming for people with disability

Right now there are:

• massive waiting lists for accessible and affordable housing
• 6,381 young people in old people’s homes[1]
• a growing number of ageing parents: 78,000 in 2012, 52,000 in 2003, who despair about what will happen to their children when they pass away or can no longer support their child.[2]

The NDIS is rolling out. By 2020, there will be 122,000 NDIS participants without affordable housing.[3]

We need to plan for affordable housing supply. Now.

[1] Source: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2011), Younger people with disability in residential aged care, http://www.aihw.gov.au/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=10737421563, p.7

[2] Source: ABS Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers 2003 and ABS Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers 2012.

[3] Bonyhady, B (2013), The National Disability Insurance Scheme: supporting participants to gain appropriate housing with quality support, presentation to NDS Disability Support Living Innovation Forum 21/10/13