The Royal Borough is consulting on a draft policy which, if approved, would mean extra financial support for disabled people to have household adaptions, helping them to live safe and independent lives at home.
The council would like to hear views on its draft Disabled Facilities Grant and Housing Assistance Policy, which would be used to decide applications for funding assistance for eligible works, including ramps, stair lifts, level access showers and door-widening.
Several additional packages of discretionary assistance are proposed, above and beyond the statutory support already offered to disabled people. This includes a new means-tested top-up on the mandatory Disabled Facilities Grants for those in financial hardship, doubling the maximum available for eligible works to £60,000.
The draft policy also includes funding towards costs of moving to a different property where an adaptation is not feasible or economically viable; dedicated support for residents in palliative care towards funding lifts, ramps and new w/c facilities; and a grant to help replace obsolete or defective equipment for a disabled person.
The council is particularly keen to hear feedback from residents, community groups, practitioners, partners and others on the proposed scope and eligibility criteria of this additional support. Feedback will then be considered and a finalised policy presented to councillors for approval.
You can find out more and take part in the consultation until Friday 2 February 2024 at https://rbwmtogether.rbwm.gov.uk/disabled-facilities-grant-housing-assistance-policy-2024-public-consultation If you don’t have online access, you are welcome to use the public-access computers available at all local libraries, where staff are happy to help you get online if needed. Paper copies of the survey form are also available from all libraries upon request.
Councillor Catherine del Campo, Cabinet member for adults, health and housing services, said: “While council funding is always tight, we know that timely home adaptions can make the crucial difference between someone having to move into care, or being able to stay safe and independent at home among their family and community.
“As a council, we are legally required to provide Disabled Facilities Grants to fund eligible works. However the rules for these are set nationally and they’re capped at £30,000, so they don’t always cover people’s needs or the full cost of works, especially given recent high inflation levels.
“We’re therefore proud to be consulting on offering extra support locally on a discretionary basis, including a proposal to double our contribution where an applicant in financial hardship cannot afford eligible works. We look forward to hearing people’s thoughts.”