Housing is the cornerstone of independent living. Without an
accessible home disabled people have greater difficulty in
accessing education, employment, social and recreational
activities. We understand the difficulties in getting a suitable
home in a marketplace where demand greatly outstrips supply.
GCIL created a dedicated housing information and advice service
in 1999 with an innovative housing grant from the Scottish
Government. The service initially offered basic housing information
and advice either within GCIL's premises in Brook Street or by
offering a home visiting service. 
Gradually a number of resources were developed to
help disabled people in housing need. These included a range of
factsheets and two complementary databases. The first of these, the
Housing Options Register (HOR), recorded details of adapted and
accessible housing in and around Glasgow and the second, the
Disabled Persons Housing Register (DPHR), recorded details of the
housing needs of disabled people who lived or wanted to live in
Glasgow. Once developed, the information in these two databases was
used to help disabled people identify housing providers who had
accessible housing in the areas in which they wanted to live.
Disabled people could then choose which housing providers to target
and complete the relevant housing application forms. Secondly
when a housing provider contacted GCIL with an available adapted
property, nominations could be provided from the DPHR database.
Eventually in 2007 we launched the Glasgow Accessible Housing
Register (AHR). This internet based service allows people to
register their requirements for an accessible property and housing
providers to register their accessible properties online. The AHR
then matches specific features of the property, the number of
bedrooms, location and level of accessibility, to the housing needs
of the disabled person. The register seeks to help people find
the adapted or accessible property they need and to make the best
use of adaptations made to properties.
By using this online system housing providers can find people
who really need the accessibility features of their properties
quickly and easily and so minimising void periods and lost rent.
This service has now been extended to cover the whole of Scotland
and has been re-named Home2Fit - Scotland's
Accessible Housing Register. 
Check out
the Home2Fit website for more information and to register. For
people living in Glasgow who register with Home2Fit we may be able
provide additional help and support.
We are unique in Glasgow in that we will look at the housing
needs of the person, rather than just looking at what's available
within their existing tenure. We work with people to gain a
detailed appraisal of their needs and then search across all
tenures to get the right house for the person.
GCIL Housing Service is funded and supported
by:
The right house for
the right person at the right time
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