Housing without delay: removing one of the major obstacles

The new Housing Without Delay initiative focuses on using preventative home adaptations as a form of health intervention. By improving the home environment, it aims to enhance physical and mental wellbeing and reduce hospital admissions.

As the UK’s leading provider of portable, re-prescribable stairway solutions, AAT is uniquely positioned to help occupational therapists (OTs) deliver on the housing without delay initiative.

Why Stairway Access Matters

• Mobility is the number one limitation affecting people in the UK¹.
• Stairs are the second most common hazard in the home².
• Nearly 50,000 people are hospitalised each year due to falls on stairs³.

For OTs to achieve the goals of Housing Without Delay, making stairways accessible is therefore a critical priority 

AAT’s Fast, Flexible Solution

Only AAT can deliver stairway access without delay.

The Sella stairclimber, AAT’s top-selling model, is typically funded through equipment budgets and requires no installation. This means:

• No waiting for grant approvals
• No structural assessments of the home
• No delays for installation

All that’s needed is a PEOP assessment to ensure suitability.

Designed for Real-World Use

Unlike fixed stairway solutions, the Sella is fully portable. It can be used across multiple staircases—indoors and outdoors—enhancing both physical and mental wellbeing for the client.

Its design also reduces the need for transfers between seats, wheelchairs, and stairlifts. Once the stair transfer is complete, the carer can continue onward without moving the client from the Sella, supporting the carer’s wellbeing as well.

Cost-Effective and Ready to Go

Most local authorities already own at least one AAT stairclimber. When no longer needed by the original user, it can be re-prescribed, recycled, and re-issued quickly and affordably.

The total cost—including PEOP assessment, servicing, and 1:1 carer training—is under £1,000. This enables timely preventative action without major capital expenditure.

No other stairway access provider offers this level of flexibility and value.

🔗 Learn more about AAT’s stairclimbing solutions: www.aatgb.com/s-max-sella
🔗 Explore the Housing Without Delay initiative: Foundations UK

REFERENCES

(1)https://www.foundations.uk.com/beyond-adaptations-launching-housing-without-delay/

(2)https://bregroup.com/press-releases/bre-report-finds-poor-housing-is-costing-nhs-1-4bn-a-year/

(3)https://www.rospa.com/campaigns-and-fundraising/current-campaigns/safer-stairs