Changes Places to be mandatory in all new public buildings by the end of the year, Government reveals

Alongside a new £30 million Changing Places Fund revealed by Chancellor Rishi Sunak in the 2020 Budget, the UK Government has announced that all new public buildings will be required to install a Changing Places facility by the end of the year.

The decision to change building regulations comes following a consultation in 2019 where the Government discussed greater provision of Changing Places toilets in new and existing buildings.

Changing Places toilets are larger than standard toilets containing specialist equipment to accommodate disabled people, including wheelchair users. By making Changing Places units obligatory in all new public buildings by the end of the year, disabled people will be able to go out and about with greater confidence knowing there are suitable facilities for them.

In addition, the new £30 million Changing Places Fund, revealed in the 2020 Budget, will see the Government match fund the costs of installing Changing Places toilets in existing buildings. The Government will work with the Changing Places Consortium and other organisations to identify the sectors where Changing Places are needed the most.

In January 2020, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) allocated £500,000 to 10 NHS Trusts across England to build new 16 Changing Places toilets for disabled people.