| From 1 April 2009, Cheshire West and Chester Council is the new Council replacing Chester City Council, Ellesmere Port & Neston Borough Council, Vale Royal Borough Council and the western part of Cheshire County Council. The pages and documents through this website may contain branding and information relevant to the old councils, but are being made available because they are still relevant to our customers. We are continuing to update all materials on the Cheshire West and Chester website and aim to remove all references to the old Councils by the end of the year (2009). |
Home Improvement Grants
Financial Assistance for Home Improvement, Repairs or Adaptation
A number of different financial assistance options for home improvements, repair and adaptations are available within the provisions of the Private Sector Housing Renewal Policy including:
- Disabled Facilities Grant
- Housing Repair Assistance Grant
- Small repairs and adaptations (through partnership working)
- Finance advice (through partnership working)
- Government Home Energy Efficiency Scheme Grants (through partnership working)
Disabled Facilities Grant
This is a mandatory grant made under the provisions of the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996, (the 1996 Act) as amended by the Regulatory Reform (Housing Assistance) (England and Wales) Order 2002, and is available for a range of works needed to help a disabled person to remain living more independently in their home. This grant is also available to owners of park homes/mobile homes requiring disabled adaptations. The grant is for:
- essential works to give better freedom of movement into and around the home;
- access to essential facilities within the home;
- the provision of essential facilities where necessary;
- certain works to make the dwelling or building safe for the disabled occupant and other persons residing with them.
The grant will only be awarded for works that are:
- necessary and appropriate to meet the disabled persons needs as assessed through consultation with Cheshire County Council's Occupational Therapist's service;
- reasonable and practicable depending on the age and condition of the property, as determined by the Council's Authorised Officers and other partnership member's i.e. Home Improvement Agency or Staying Put Agency, Cheshire County Council Social Services
The applicant must be the owner or qualifying tenant of the property to be adapted. A landlord may apply on behalf of a disabled tenant. All applications for Disabled Facilities Grants are subject to a statutory test of resources prescribed by the Government. Only the resources of the disabled occupant and their spouse or partner are taken into account. If the disabled occupant is less than 18 years of age the resources of their parent(s) are then relevant. The amount of grant awarded is the amount needed to meet the costs of the work over and above the applicant's calculated contribution, subject to a maximum of £30,000.
At its discretion, the Council may, in addition to a Disabled Facility Grant, offer grant assistance to help an individual move to and or/adapt a different property if it is not reasonable or practicable to adapt the present home. The Council may offer a grant of up to £5,000 to assist with house purchase/relocation expenses. This will not prevent an application being made to carry out essential works to adapt the new home if necessary.
Home Repair Assistance Grant
This is a discretionary grant and provides practical help for low income older people (over 60s), vulnerable people, owner occupiers, private sector tenants in the form of either a grant or the provision of materials for small scale works of repair, improvement or adaptation to a dwelling, house boat or mobile home (Grants for tenants will only be available for items of work outside the responsibility of the landlord.)
The main purposes for which a Home Repair Assistance Grant is available are:
- For repair and improvement to secure the basic fabric of the property
- Small scale adaptation works to enable elderly or disabled persons to remain living at home
- For the provision of fire precautions, means of escape from fire and crime prevention measures
The maximum assistance available to eligible applicants is £5,000. This can be in a single or multiple applications, however, the total must not exceed the maximum payable.
Applicants for home repair assistance grants must be aged 60 or over, or be disabled or infirm or be in receipt of an income related benefit/tax credit; with a total household income of less than £15,050. All qualifying applicants will be subject to a test of resources.
Small Repairs Service
The Council partly funds Anchor Staying Put to provide a small repairs service to provide small scale repair and maintenance services, crime prevention (home security) energy efficiency measures and minor adaptations/accident prevention to eligible clients on the basis that the consumer pays the costs of any materials used and the labour is provided at £5 per hour. Eligible clients must be owner-occupiers and aged 60 or over or be disabled.
Financial Advice
The Council is not currently in a position to offer direct financial advice to applicants, however, older or disabled homeowners and private tenants, and vulnerable households on low incomes may obtain advice from our partners within the Anchor Staying Put. The main areas of such advice include:
- Funding for works
- Welfare rights advice (maximising income)
- Advice and help in obtaining local authority grants
- Charitable fund applications
- Home Energy Efficiency Scheme grants
- Benefit agency funds
Referrals to Home Energy Efficiency Scheme Grants
Enquirers in relation to energy efficiency works who may not fulfil the eligibility requirements for other grant aid will be referred to the Energy Saving Trust Advice Centre (ESTAC) who operate on a partnership basis with the council to identify funding and subsidised schemes for such works including:
- Loft insulation
- Cavity wall insulation
- Energy efficient heating appliances and systems
- Provision of energy efficient appliances and practices
Note: Work carried out before grant approval is issued will not be eligible for financial assistance.
If you would like further information regarding the contents of this document please contact:
Housing Strategy and Regeneration Section
Vale Royal Borough Council
Wyvern House
The Drumber
Winsford
Cheshire
CW7 1AH
Housing Technical Officer : 01606 867832
or Technical Administrative Officer : 01606 867686
If you would like further information regarding the services offered by Anchor Staying Put, please contact them at:
Anchor Staying Put
Unit 16
Meridian House
Road One
Winsford Industrial Estate
Winsford
Cheshire
CW7 3QD
Tel: 01606 590893
Email: stayingput.cheshirewest@anchor.org.uk
If you would like further information regarding energy efficiency matters please contact:
ESTAC on tel: 0800 512012.
| From 1 April 2009, Cheshire West and Chester Council is the new Council replacing Chester City Council, Ellesmere Port & Neston Borough Council, Vale Royal Borough Council and the western part of Cheshire County Council. The pages and documents through this website may contain branding and information relevant to the old councils, but are being made available because they are still relevant to our customers. We are continuing to update all materials on the Cheshire West and Chester website and aim to remove all references to the old Councils by the end of the year (2009). |
Last modified: 30 March 2009
