The right type of housing can increase independence, wellbeing, and quality of life. But finding a home that meets your needs can be challenging.
This page explains the housing options available to people with a muscle wasting condition. You can also find a list of useful organisations at the end of the page.
The right home can make it easier to take part in daily life. For example, being able to use the main living areas means you can wash, do your laundry, and cook meals. Access into and out of the home means you can go to school or work.
If you’d like to stay in your current home, there may be ways to make it more suitable. For example, you could build an extension, change the layout, or install equipment. Our housing adaptations page has information about making and funding changes to your home.
If you’re not able to adapt your home or if the changes will not meet your long-term needs, you may want to think about moving.
In many places, there are more people needing accessible homes than there are homes available. This means you may have to wait a long time for a suitable home to become available. It’s important to plan ahead as much as possible, especially if your needs may change over time.
There’s lots of support and information available to help you find and apply for housing, including:
You may also be able to get help with the costs of moving and living in your new home. The Turn2Us website has information about financial support and benefits you can apply for.
You can rent a home from a private landlord or a letting agency. This may be a good option for you and your family as it can sometimes offer more flexibility.
The landlord or letting agent should make reasonable adjustments to make your home more accessible. This is a legal requirement under the Equality Act 2010 (England, Scotland, and Wales) and Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (Northern Ireland). Reasonable adjustments may include small or temporary changes. They do not include changes to communal areas or the structure of the home. What changes you can ask for will depend on several things, such as cost and how many properties the landlord looks after.
For more information, contact:
You will need the landlord’s permission to make any adaptations. Be aware that you have limited rights to stay in the property after your tenancy finishes.
Buying your own home can give you more choice about where and how you want to live. You may find it helpful to talk to an occupational therapist about your needs before buying, especially if your needs are likely to change. You can ask your local council for an occupational therapy assessment. Our housing adaptations page has useful information about adapting your home.
There are schemes to help with buying a home, such as shared ownership and loans. The government has more information about affordable home ownership schemes.
If you live in England or Wales, you can apply for help from My Safe Home to buy your own home. You need to be claiming certain benefits to qualify.
In Scotland, you can apply for the Open Market Shared Equity scheme or New Supply Shared Equity (NSSE) scheme. The Low-cost Initiative for First Time Buyers (LIFT) helps priority groups buy a home.
In Northern Ireland, there are several low-cost home ownership schemes.
Moving into a care home may be an option for adults who need ongoing care and support. Care homes can be run by local councils, private companies, individuals, or charities. If you think this might be an option for you or someone you care for, you can ask the council for a needs assessment. This will help decide what type of care is needed and whether a care home is suitable. They may offer help with the cost of a care home or offer advice about choosing a private care home.
You can contact our helpline for information about housing and home adaptations.
Other organisations who offer information about housing include:
Citizens Advice offers housing advice in England, Scotland, and Wales.
Civil Legal Advice (CLA) offers free advice for people in England and Wales who qualify for legal aid.
Disability Law Service provides free legal advice on housing to disabled people and their carers.
Housing Options Scotland helps disabled people in Scotland find a home that suits their needs.
Housing Rights provides advice and information for people in Northern Ireland.
Law Centres Network offers free legal advice and representation across the UK.
Shelter provides housing information for people living in England, Scotland, and Wales.
Author: Muscular Dystrophy UK
Reviewers: Prof Tracey Willis and Dr Maria Elena Farrugia
Last reviewed: June 2025
Next review due: June 2028
Webinars, Information Days, and support groups for our muscle wasting community. Our life-changing support is here for you.
Advice for living with or caring for someone with a muscle wasting condition.
You may be able to rent a home from your local council or housing association. This is called social housing or council housing. Housing associations are non-profit organisations that provide housing for people who need extra support.
Some councils may provide housing that’s already been adapted, or can be adapted, for people with limited mobility or wheelchair users.
Applying for social housing
Your local council can tell you how to apply for social housing. They can also give you details of your local housing association. You can find contact details for your local council on the government website.
Each council has its own rules about who can apply for housing. They will usually prioritise people who have the greatest need. You’ll need to describe why your current housing is not suitable, giving examples of how it affects your life or risks your safety.
Because muscle wasting conditions are rare, your local council may have limited knowledge and understanding of how your condition can affect you. It’s important to give as much information as you can about how your condition affects you now, and how your needs may change in the future. Include any documents that support your application. For example, evidence from your medical team, results of a care needs assessment or an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan. The council may contact your GP or ask you to have an occupational therapy assessment.
Challenging a decision
If you do not agree with the outcome of your housing application, you have the right to challenge it.
Your local council’s website should tell you how they prioritise housing applications. They should also explain what to do if you disagree with the outcome of your application. Citizens Advice can support you to challenge a housing application decision.
If you’re still unhappy with how your case was handled, you can contact an independent housing complaints service or ombudsman in your area for more help. The ombudsman in each nation is:
Swapping your home
If you’re already living in social housing but your home no longer meets your needs, you may be able to swap to a more suitable home. This is called a mutual exchange.
You can usually arrange this yourself through your local council or housing association, or a service such as HomeSwapper. However, both landlords (usually the council or housing association that owns the homes) must approve the exchange before it can go ahead.
Homelessness
Your local council can help you if you’re homeless or at risk of losing your home.
The council must give you emergency housing if you’re homeless and have a priority need, such as a disability or medical condition. You’ll need to tell the council about your disability and how it affects you. This might include difficulties with stairs or moving around, needing equipment or support, or if your current housing is making your condition worse or harder to manage.
You can find more information about homelessness on the government website. The charity Shelter can also offer support – contact details are at the end of this page.