Private Sector Renewal & Disabled Adaptations Policy

Overview

The Council is proposing to change its Private Sector Renewal & Disabled Adaptations Policy to provide a more flexible and responsive service. 

The aim of the changes are to provide discretionary grants that will assist people to remain living independently in their own homes, delay hospital admissions, prevent falls and delay or avoid moves to residential or nursing homes.

Why your views matter

We are proposing:

Health & Well Being at Home Grant

This grant will be up to a maximum of £5,000 and will not be based on income or savings.  The types of adaptations/housing assistance that will be provided include stairlifts, ramps, deep clean, de-cluttering of essential rooms, repair/replacement of boilers. 

Discretionary Professional Fees

This grant will be up to a maximum of £5,000 and will be added to the Disabled Facilities Grant once approved.  This grant will be available where there is a significant amount of adaptations needed and an Architect is required to draw up plans; or where there is concern about the structure of the existing building and a structural engineer is required. 

Discretionary Accommodation Fees

This grant with be up to a maximum spend of £5,000 towards the cost of temporary accommodation where there are significant and disruptive Disabled Facilities Grant works to be carried out at the property which would mean it is not suitable for the resident to remain and where no other options are available for example self-funding alternative accommodation, stay with friends/family

Relocation Grant

This grant has been amended to include tenants in the private rented sector, with an upper limit of £5,000 to enable them to move to more suitable alternative accommodation that would better meet their needs.  This grant already exists for owner occupiers with the amendment that in exceptional circumstances a grant of a maximum of £20,000 would be considered if it contributed to the significant reduction in the cost of care being paid for by Reading Borough Council.

Top up funding

The mandatory Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) limit is £30,000 which no longer meets the cost of providing extensions such as a wheelchair accessible downstairs bathroom or bedrooms.  The current costs can range from £45k to £60k+. This new grant will allow a discretionary maximum grant of an additional £30,000 to top up a mandatory Disabled Facilities Grant, where the cost of work has gone over the grant maximum.  The top up grant will be means tested to include the parents of disabled children and will only be offered if there are no other sources of funding available.  A charge will be placed against the property and registered with HM Land Registry with repayment whenever the property is sold.

We would welcome your comments on the proposals in the policy.