Councils to opt-in to receive Government Funding

A new campaign was launched today, encouraging councils to opt-in to receive the recently confirmed £30m of Government funding for Changing Places toilets.

Aveso, the last official sponsor of the Changing Places campaign, made the move in response to the announcement made in early March by Regional Growth Minister Luke Hall, that £30m of funding will be distributed by local authorities in England to increase the number of Changing Places toilets.

Nick Kent from Aveso said;

‘The £30m of Government funding will make a big difference to the lives of disabled people across England. However, although the Government has committed to allocating each council a portion of the £30m, councils have to opt-in in order to get their share. We need to make sure that as many communities, venues and businesses as possible benefit from this money. That is why we have launched this campaign; We want to make sure that EVERY council in England says YES to Changing Places by opting in.’

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government issued a press release on 4^th March confirming the plan to invite local councils to opt-in to receive a portion of the funding pot, with authorities then allocating funding to specific Changing Places projects in their area. The funding was originally announced in the 2020 budget, but at that time no further details were provided.

The funding will be delivered through a multi-year programme of opt-in formula grant allocations to unitary and district authorities. Full details of how councils can ‘opt-in’ will be published soon. In the meantime, organisations and venues wanting to install a Changing Places toilet are being encouraged to get in touch with their relevant local authority to register their interest.

Regional Growth Minister Luke Hall MP said:

‘For too long, the lack of suitable toilet facilities has meant disabled people have faced major difficulties when they shop, go out, or travel and this should not be the case. That’s why the provision of Changing Places toilets is so important for people who cannot use standard accessible toilets.’

As long term supporters and the last official sponsor of the Changing Places Campaign, Aveso are able to give technical support to local authorities and venues/organisations, with training sessions, advice on design, layout and specification, as well as practical support for the implementation of Changing Places projects.

MORE INFORMATION

As long tern supporters, and the last official sponsors of the Changing Places campaign, we are passionate about creating spaces which provide a safe environment for people with additional needs. We can help every step of the way; from initial advice on feasibility and funding, to planning and design, through to installation. Book a consultation to find out more.