The Grenfell Tower fire saw disabled people and their loved ones who stayed with them tragically die as they were unable to leave the building. Shocking and heart breaking evidence was presented to the Grenfell Tower inquiry, which led to it recommending that disabled people in high rise flats should have personal emergency evacuation plans.
There was considerable concern that the government wasn’t going to act on this recommendation and legal action was taken. Now, the government is planning a consultation on the implementation of personal emergency evacuation plans for disabled people.
Disability Rights UK is in contact with the Grenfell Next of Kin Group which is keen to ensure that disability groups are fully involved in the consultation.
We have contacted the relevant civil servants and it has been confirmed that a consultation will take place in the near future. We will share details when these become available.
The concerns regarding how disabled people can safely evacuate from flats is now also being taken up by a Leaseholder Disability Action Group. In addition to safety concerns, disabled leaseholders are worried about the falling value of their flats, the cost of replacing flammable materials and the difficulty of moving out of specifically adapted accommodation. You can follow the Leaseholder Disability Action Group here: https://twitter.com/claddag