Housing and home advice
Home improvement and adaptations
Older people and homeowners or private tenants living with disabilities may be able to obtain financial support for the purposes of home improvements or adaptations to improve quality of living. Home Improvement Agencies (HIAs) may be able to offer advice ranging from the availability of home improvement grants to selecting a building and right through to managing a home improvement project.
To find out if there is an HIAs near you, you can contact Foundations, the national body for HIAs, online here
Home repairs for homeowners
You may be entitled to a grant or loan from your local authority to enable you to carry out repairs to your home. To find out what’s available in your local area contact your own local authority. You can find the number in the phonebook or by clicking here
If you wish to consider releasing equity to fund repairs and improvements you could contact the Financial Services Authority (FSA) on 0845 606 1234 and request a copy of the guide: Raising money from your home for more information. In all cases you should seek independent financial and legal advice before purchasing any financial products or making any decisions on releasing equity. You can find out more about the FSA by clicking here
If you are eligible for pension credit, interest payments on a loan for home repairs and improvements could be taken into account as part of your pension credit assessment. You can contact the Department for Work and Pensions to discuss your personal circumstances. The nucber to call is 0845 601 8821.
Home repairs for tenants
If you are renting your home and a repair is required, you should contact your landlord. If your landlord is uncooperative and you believe a repair is necessary, perhaps due to safety or hygiene, you should contact your local council's environmental health department who will investigate the risk and may be able to take appropriate action. You can find the number in the phonebook.
If you are renting your home from your local authority or from a housing association, your home is most likely covered within the Decent Homes Programme. As part of the requirements in this programme, your home should meet the statutory minimum standard and should be in a reasonable state of repair.
Home adaptations for people living with disabilities
If you are a homeowner or you are renting your home from a local authority or housing association, you might be eligible for a disabled facilities grant. You can find out if you are eligible by contacting your local social services department or HIAs which will arrange for a home assessment, normally including an occupational therapy assessment, to take place. A grant could be provided to cover works such as installing a stair lift, installing a downstairs bathroom or adding an entry/exit ramp for a wheelchair user.
You can also follow the same process for smaller adaptations such as installing stair or grab rails, although you may not need to apply for a grant. Equipment that counts as supporting personal care should be provided free to people aged over 65, so you should find out what this includes in your local authority area.
Grants are means tested through a personal financial assessment and only take the personal circumstances of the person requiring the adaptation(s) into account. Grants have to be applied for before any work takes place and cannot be paid retrospectively.
Safety and security at home
Being and feeling safe and secure at home is very important to most people. Security equipment, secure door and window locks, alarm systems and smoke and carbon dioxide detectors can all play a part. The crime prevention officer at your local police station can be a useful source of information and independent advice. You can contact them by finding the telephone number for your local station in the phone book. Age UK can also offer guidance and can be contacted on 0800 169 6565 or online by clicking here.
Your local council as well as some charity and commercial providers can provide you with a personal emergency alarm system which works through your telephone line; you might be eligible for this service through a needs assessment provided by social services, or alternatively you can subscribe privately for a fee. A good source of information is the Disabled Living Foundation who can be contacted on 0845 130 9177 or online by clicking here.
You can read more about safety and security at home by clicking here
Home heating, warmth and energy efficiency
Ensuring that your home is warm enough is important for your health and happiness but it can be costly. There are a number of ways in which you can improve your home’s energy efficiency, potentially reducing your energy bills.
If you are a home owner or a private tenant, aged over 60 and are means tested or receive a disability benefit then you may be entitled to a grant. A grant might cover improvements such as new heating insulation or installing a new boiler. For advice you can contact the Warm Front Scheme on 0800 316 2850. The Home Heat Helpline could also be a useful source of advice. You can contact the helpline on 0800 336699.
You can read more about keeping warm by clicking here
