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<p>National policy sets out clearly the need for local planning authorities to plan
for the housing needs of all members of the community, including suitable properties
for disabled people. Our recent Housing White Paper sets out the ways in which the
planning system will be used to deliver more suitable homes for people with disabilities,
including proposals to strengthen the National Planning Policy Framework. We are also
introducing a new statutory duty on the Secretary of State to produce guidance for
local planning authorities on meeting the housing needs of older and disabled people.</p><p>In
addition, since 2011, we have delivered 27,000 supported housing units for disabled,
vulnerable and older people. At Autumn Statement 2015, we announced £400 million new
specialist affordable homes also for the vulnerable, elderly or those with disabilities.
We have also increased funding for the Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG). Since 2012,
the Government has invested over £1.6 billion into the Grant, providing around 250,000
adaptations by the end of the 2017-18 financial year. By 2020, we expect to have invested
around a further £1 billion, with year-on-year increases meaning that spending on
DFG will more than double to over £500 million from £220 million in 2015-16. Budget
2017 announced an additional £42 million for DFG in 2017-18.</p>
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