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Potential Sources of funding for home improvements, repairs and adaptations.

Potential Sources of funding for home improvements, repairs and adaptations.
There are various places people can make applications for help with home improvements, repairs or adaptations required to help with disabilities. Not all avenues are suitable for everyone and it may also be advisable to contact your local authority housing department to find out what the qualifying criteria are in your area.

Disability Facilities Grants (DFG)

A Disabled Facilities Grant is a statutory grant administered by local authorities and is intended to enable disabled people to gain access to and move freely within their home and to provide accessible facilities within the home.

The Disabled Facilities Grant can be used for any of the following:
• Widening doors and installing ramps.
• Providing or improving access to rooms and facilities i.e. by installing a stair lift or providing a downstairs bathroom.
• Improving or providing a suitable heating system.
• Adapting heating or lighting to make them easier to use.
• Improving access to and movement around the home to enable a person to care for another person who lives in the property, such as a child.

The Welsh Assemble Government has published guidance * to local authorities which outlines the purposes for which DFGs may be provided. The guidance states that all owner-occupiers and tenants or licensees who are able to satisfy the criteria in sections 19 to 22 of the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996 ^ are eligible for disabled facilities grant. Landlords may also apply for the grant on behalf of a disabled facilities grant. Landlords may also apply for the grant on behalf of a disabled tenant as long as the tenant satisfies the relevant conditions set out in the act.

* National Assembly for Wales Circular 20/2002: Housing renewal guidance - Annex D (amended)
^ Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996

Housing Renewal Areas.

Area based renewal schemes can be found in some local authorities. Anyone living in one of these renewal areas may be entitled to additional funding for improvements to their property. Further information can be obtained from the relevant local authority.

Loans

Some local authorities have been piloting schemes that provide loans for homeowners who need to improve their home or carry out repairs. The relevant local authority will be able to confirm whether they offer a scheme. The loan would be secured on the property.

Care and Repair Cymru

Care and Repair Cymru is the national body that actively works to ensure that all older people have homes that are safe, secure and appropriate to their needs. Care and Repair Cymru is able to access the needs of older people through the all Wales coverage of local Care and Repair Agencies. The Welsh Assembly Government provides funding to Care and Repair agencies across Wales who in turn provide advice to older people and help them source financial assistance for adaptations and maintenance for their homes.

Care and Repair Cymru also provide a Rapid Response Adaptation programme. If a person is physically disabled or aged 60 or over they may be able to claim up to £350 worth of small scale adaptations so they can be discharged from hospital and return to live safely in their home.

The following can be claimed under this programme:
• Small ramps
• Rails and hand grips
• A covered way to a toilet
• Levelling of paths
• Community safety alarms
• Home safety measures

Further information and details of local Care and Repair agencies can be obtained from Care and Repair’s national office.

Care and Repair Cymru,
Norbury House
Norbury Road
Fairwater
Cardiff
CF5 3AS

Tel: 029 2057 6286
Fax: 029 2057 6283

Email enquiries@careandrepair.org.uk
Web www.careandrepair.org.uk

Houseproud Scheme

The Houseproud scheme is run in partnership with the Home Improvement Trust and some local councils. To be eligible for this scheme a person must be:

• A homeowner aged 60 or over
• A disabled homeowner
• A homeowner with disabled person living with them

This scheme can provide a range of services including practical help and advice on repairs, improvements and adaptations, sourcing reliable tradespeople , checking on completed work and providing a range of funding options. This scheme is delivered at a local level from case workers, usually from the local council or Care and Repair Agency. More detailed information on this scheme can be found at:
www.houseproud.org.uk
Tel: 0800 7837569

The Home Improvement Trust

The Home Improvement Trust is a not for profit company that has been established to help older people (60 or over) access funding from regulated lenders for property repairs, improvements and adaptations. Eligible work can include:
• New bathrooms or level access shower
• Electrical rewiring
• Central heating
• A new roof
• Replacement windows and doors
• New guttering
• Plumbing
• A refitted kitchen
• Better home security
• Adaptations to help a disabled person
• Improving home energy efficiency

Any loans that the Trust has helped someone access will be secured against the applicant’s property. Their income and the values of their home are taken into consideration when deciding how much they can borrow. Loans range from £3,000 up to 55% of the current value of the person’s property.

More information on the Home Improvement Trust can be found on their website:

www.hitrust.org
or
Tel: 0800783 7569

Moneyline Cymru

Moneyline Cymru is a not for profit organisation helping to provide loans, savings and money advice to members of the public. It was established with the support of Welsh Housing Associations. The organisation reinvests all its profits back into the company to enable them to help more people.

Moneyline Cymru is a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI).

CDFIs are not for profit organisations providing lending and investment facilities at competitive rates in disadvantaged communities. Although the majority of CDFI activity is focused on lending to small businesses, there has been a rise in recent years in the level of personal lending and micro-finance lending (the lending of small sums to individuals in order to spur business creation).

Moneyline Cymru currently has branches in South Wales but has plans to expand nationally.

More information on Moneyline Cymru can be found on their website:

www.moneylinecymru.co.uk

Credit Unions

Credit Unions are mutual financial organisations which are owned and run by their members for their members. Credit Unions are regulated by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) and money saved is protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme on the same basis as it would be if it was held in a bank or building society.

Credit Union members have a common bond, such as living in the same area, a common workplace, membership of a housing association and all members save in a common fund. This fund can be then used to make low interest loans to the credit union’s members. All interest on loan repayments is reinvested in the credit union and nothing leaves the community.

A list of credit unions and their contact details can be found on the Wales Co-operative Centre website.

Energy Efficiency

Home Energy Efficiency Scheme (HEES)

The Home Energy Efficiency Scheme ia a Welsh Assembly Governement funded initiative which aims to tackle fuel poverty by making homes in Wales more energy efficient. The HEES grant provides a package of heating and insulation improvements up to the value of £3,600 (or £5,000 where oil central heating is required). A list of work that can be carried out under HEES and HEES Plus scheme can be found on the HEES Wales website

HEES is aimed at householders who are pregnant and in receipt of a MAT B1 certificate or families with children under 16 and HEES Plus is aimed at householders who are over 60, lone parent families with children under 16 and those receiving sickness and disability related benefits. All work that is carried out under the scheme will be done by an approved contractor and HEES Wales will inspect all heating installations and a proportion of insulation work.

HEES Wales also offer a partial grant voucher up to the value of £500 for people who do not qualify for the HEES and HEES Plus scheme. To be eligible a person must own their home and be aged 60 or over.

HEES will be replaced during 2011 with a new scheme to combat fuel poverty.

More detailed information on this scheme can be found at:
www.heeswales.co.uk
or
Tel: 08003162815

Energy Saving Trust

The Energy Saving Trust is an independent organisation helping people to save energy and reduce carbon emissions. The Trust is funded by the UK Government, devolved governments and private sector and operates regionally in England and has independent teams in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The trust supports its objectives to save energy and reduce carbon emissions by:
• Providing expert knowledge on energy saving.
• Supporting people to take action.
• Helping local authorities and communities to save energy.
• And by providing quality assurance for goods, services and installers.

The Energy Saving Trust has an online database which contains information on energy saving grants which contains information on energy saving grants from a range of providers including the government, energy suppliers, retailers and installers. Energy Saving Trust aims to ensure that all installers listed are members of the National Insulation Association (NIA). The Energy Saving Trust also has a grants advisory line which can be contacted on:
0800 512012

For more detailed information can be found on
Web: www.energysavingtrust.org.uk
or
Tel: 02072220101

NEA Cymru

NEA Cymru is the Welsh arm of NEA (National Energy Action) the UK’s leading fuel poverty charity. Their website has section entitled grants and help which contains a list of useful contact numbers and a list of UK grant schemes aimed at energy efficiency and combating fuel poverty.

www.nea.org.uk

Benevolent Funds and Charities

Turn2Us is a charitable service which helps people locate and access appropriate sources of financial support based on their particular needs and circumstances. Turn2Us has a funding database that can help people find information on Welfare Benefits, Grants, Benevolent funds and other help.

Some benevolent funds and charities may be able to offer elderly and/or disabled people help and financial assistance with essential household improvements and adaptations to enable them to carry on living at home and avoid going into care,

www.turn2us.org.uk

Some armed forces and public service benevolent funds offering support and financial assistance on home improvements, repairs and adaptations can be found below:
• Royal British Legion
• Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association (SSAFA)
• Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund
• The Royal Navy Benevolent Fund
• The British Fire Services Association Widows and Orphans Benevolent Fund
• Police Dependent’s Trust