With an ageing UK population, there is a strong trend towards inclusive design, particularly in the UK bathroom industry. As a result, special needs bathroom products suitable for use by all users are likely to exhibit significant market potential in years to come.

In 2009, the special needs bathroom market had an estimated value of around £119 million at Manufacturers Selling Prices (MSP). This represents a decrease of around 11% when compared to the market size in 2008, with little change expected in 2010. This reflects the continued impact of the UK economic downturn on the building and home improvement markets.

The UK special needs bathroom market had been growing in volume and value until the impact of the recent economic recession. But like other higher value consumer goods has been under considerable pressure more recently, resulting from the difficult new housebuilding sector and also the downturn in the home improvement sector.

A significant proportion of the special needs bathroom market represents direct sales from the specialist manufacturer or supplier to the end-user, which is common practice with specialised products. Other channels include merchants and distributors plus DIY multiples, many who offer own branded goods. In addition, the level of special needs bathroom product sold via Internet e-tailers has seen significant growth in the last 3-5 years.

With a growing number of elderly and disabled people in the UK, the demand for inclusively designed special needs bathroom products looks set to grow. With revisions to Document Part M in 2006, special needs bathroom products will continue to be installed in a wider range of domestic and commercial end-use applications. These will include domestic homes and commercial applications such as hospitals and schools.

New build homes in the UK will progressively be built to Lifetime Homes Standards. More inclusive and flexible housing will be required to meet future demand in an ageing society. These standards will be made a mandatory part of the Code for Sustainable Homes to encourage progressively increased take-up in new build projects. All public sector funded housing in England will be built to Lifetime Homes Standard from 2011, with a target of 2013 for all private sector dwellings. This will impact positively on the demand for special needs bathroom products.

The immediate outlook for the UK special needs bathroom market in 2010-11 remains relatively flat, with slow growth anticipated as the UK economy moves out of recession and as consumer confidence and housebuilding levels improve. However, in the medium-longer term as the economy improves and UK consumers become more diverse in terms of age and ability, good growth is expected in this market sector. In 2014, it is estimated that the UK special needs bathroom market will be worth some £144 million at MSP, which would represent an increase of around 20% compared to the market size in 2010.