NEARLY two-thirds of councils are failing to complete home adaptations for disabled people within the one-year legal limit, a charity has found.

Leonard Cheshire Disability said thousands of disabled and older people are currently trapped in unsuitable homes, leaving them unable to move around freely.

Often confined to a limited number of downstairs rooms, they are forced to wash in their kitchen or sleep in their living room, with many unable to even get in and out of their front doors.

Anyone who is disabled and requires essential adaptations to their home can apply for a Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG), but the charity said that while demand has risen by 6% since 2011/12, the number of grants paid has gone down by 3% in the same period.

Councils have six months to provide a decision once an application has been made, and if the grant is approved the work should be completed within a further 12 months.

But Freedom of Information requests from 245 housing authorities found that almost half (44%) are making disabled people wait more than two years to carry out work - while 62% failed to fund agreed adaptations within the one year deadline.

The charity said that living in an unsuitable home can lead to physical injuries and mental health problems, and increases the demand for social care for people who need help with washing and cooking because they do not have the right facilities. It pointed out that adapting homes will reduce the need for social care, and is therefore more cost-effective for councils.