Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government what guidance is available to disabled individuals without capital and in receipt of Universal Credit who wish to join the home ownership for people with a long-term disability scheme.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Home Ownership for People with Long-term Disabilities (HOLD) scheme is a specialist form of Shared Ownership. It enables individuals with long term disabilities to purchase a home that meets their accessibility needs when other Shared Ownership homes are not suitable.

My Department, in collaboration with Homes England, have published guidance on HOLD, including eligibility criteria and guidance on how to find landlords offering HOLD. This can be found on gov.uk here.

Universal Credit customers can find information on the support they may be able to receive for mortgage interest payments on gov.uk here.

Applicants should discuss their individual financial circumstances with the relevant landlord and seek independent financial advice. Decisions on mortgage affordability and lending are matters for individual lenders.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government what guidance is given to local authorities to take account of occupational therapy recommendations relating to sensory regulation, independence, and daily living needs when assessing housing requirements for disabled children and adults, as well as children and adults with neurodevelopmental conditions.

Answered by Baroness Blake of Leeds - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

Government is committed to supporting disabled people to live independently and safely. This includes disabled children and those with neurodevelopmental conditions.

The Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) delivery guidance sets out how local authorities should assess housing adaptations for disabled children and adults, including the role of occupational therapists in decision-making Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) delivery: Guidance for Local Authorities in England.

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) requires development plans to take into account an assessment of housing needed for different groups in the community, including disabled people, and set policies to address those needs.

The Homelessness Code of Guidance encourages housing authorities to consider the individual needs of people with disabilities and how these can be met, when assessing their housing needs and the suitability of accommodation, where it is provided.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of the home ownership for people with long-term disabilities (HOLD) scheme; and what consideration they have given to the impact of upfront costs and expenses on potential participants of the scheme.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

I refer the noble Baroness to the answer given to Question UIN HL3045 on 15 September 2026.

The government has made no such assessment but is considering what can be done to improve the customer experience for all shared owners, including those who purchase via the Home Ownership for People with Long Term Disabilities (HOLD) scheme.

Some upfront costs associated with purchasing a HOLD property are typically lower than for open market purchases. For example, the deposit is only set in relation to the initial share being purchased, not the full open market value of the property. Rent on the unpurchased share is also set below market level.