Acquiring your first home represents a significant milestone in life, but it also presents numerous challenges.

For Katie Anna McConnell, an access consultant and dance instructor, her disability has intensified these obstacles.

After she successfully purchased her initial residence, major insurance providers denied her access to life insurance, critical illness coverage, and mortgage protection policies.

“People with disabilities are not receiving the same level of support as those without disabilities, which I believe epitomizes discrimination and ableism,” she remarked.

Living in London, Ms. McConnell eventually found coverage through a specialist insurer, though she noted that this policy excludes any conditions related to her disability, resulting in significantly higher premiums.

“My disability is not going away; it’s a chronic condition without a cure, and it’s something you cannot simply outgrow or treat away.

“Owning a home like I do does not guarantee my ability to cover my mortgage payments.

“I must ask myself whether I can afford to be unwell, and that feels deeply unsettling.”

A representative from the Association of British Insurers (ABI) commented, “The Equality Act allows insurers to consider disability when it genuinely influences the risk level associated with a policy. Depending on personal situations, this could affect aspects such as specific exclusions, pricing, or policy availability.”

While Ms. McConnell has secured insurance, she remains uncertain about the actual coverage provided by her mortgage protection policy.

“If I need to take a leave from work due to illness, whether new or terminal, it can easily be linked to my chronic condition since it impacts everything,” she explained.

“As a result, any absence would be deemed related to my disability and consequently not covered.”

Mikey Erhardt, a policy officer at Disability Rights UK, noted the cost of living crisis makes homeownership difficult for anyone in London, and this challenge is more pronounced for disabled individuals.

Data from the Office for National Statistics in 2021 showed that only 29% of disabled adults in London owned homes, in contrast to 42% of their non-disabled counterparts.

Furthermore, the report indicated that disabled adults were three times more likely to reside in social rented accommodation compared to non-disabled adults.

Erhardt remarked that “even for those who can afford it, the housing market fails to accommodate the needs of disabled people, which is quite disheartening.”

He emphasized that this reflects the perception of disabled individuals as “an outlier.”

“The explanations insurers provide may sound reasonable, but they suggest that disabled individuals are rare cases, implying that their lives carry innate risks.”

Ms. McConnell believes that the government needs to enhance support for disabled homeowners.

“They are constantly promoting employment for disabled people,” she stated.

“Here I am, a disabled individual with a suitable job working five days a week, I’ve purchased my own home, and I contribute to the economy by paying taxes.

“Why is there no support available for me if I need to take time off, whereas my non-disabled partner would be fine under the same circumstances?”

A Treasury spokesperson responded, “Everyone should have access to necessary financial products and services. We expect insurers and mortgage lenders to treat all customers fairly in line with the Equality Act, which prohibits discrimination.”

Christina McGill, director of social impact and external affairs for the accessible housing association Habinteg, highlighted “availability, affordability, and finding suitable properties” as crucial issues for disabled homebuyers.

In 2018, the Equality and Human Rights Commission found that only 7% of homes in England possessed basic accessibility features.

“The vast majority of homes in England are old and were constructed before accessibility became a design consideration,” Ms. McGill noted.

“This limits the choices available to disabled individuals and increases the financial burden of necessary adaptations.”

Ms. McConnell described how estate agents often fail to grasp her accessibility needs, recounting her experience viewing a property with “a large step to access the building,” despite having informed her agent of her need for a step-free home.

Similarly, Andrew Gibson, who utilizes a wheelchair, explained that his son had to abandon his search for accessible housing due to limited options, preventing him from visiting his son’s residence in Tooting.

Gibson criticized the housing sector as “unresponsive,” adding, “While transportation has seen improvements over the past two decades, there hasn’t been a corresponding increase in accessible housing availability.”

Attzaz Rashid, head of design at residential developer Barratt London, stated that such feedback is “all too common,” but assured that accessibility is increasingly regarded as “a fundamental component of home design.”

“If you’re stuck in a house that doesn’t meet your needs, you can’t live with the dignity that everyone else enjoys nor can you have the independence that non-disabled individuals often take for granted,” he remarked.

Rightmove and Zoopla, leading property platforms in the UK, indicated that they provide options such as ‘level access’ and ‘wet room’ features in listings, although the inclusion of these details ultimately rests with the estate agents.

Colleen Babcock, a property expert at Rightmove, acknowledged that enhancements in estate agent listings in recent years have improved accessibility, thanks to video tours, better imagery, and comprehensive floor plans, but emphasized that “there remains much work to do.”