GreaterNorwich

Help for you to stay in your current home in Broadland

If your current home is in Broadland the following options are available to you:

#          Disabled Facilities Grants

What is it?

This is a grant towards adapting your current home or providing special facilities for people with a disability.

Who can apply?

Homeowners, Private tenants and Council tenants. If you have a genuine need then it is likely you will be entitled for a grant.

What work can be done?

This is decided by your specific needs. Work that could be done include:

• improving access to and from the dwelling
• improving access to the principal family room
• improving access to or providing a bedroom
• improving access to or providing a bathroom with fully accessible bath/shower/wash-hand basin/toilet or improving the usability of such a facilities
• making the dwelling or building safe
• facilitating the preparation and cooking of food
• improving any heating system in the dwelling, or if there is no heating system in the dwelling, providing a suitable heating system improving the usability of a source of power, light, or heat by improving access to control switches
• improving access for and movement by the disabled occupant around the dwelling in order to enable him/her to care for a person who is normally resident in the dwelling and is in need of such care

How much are the grants for?

Any amount up to £25,000. However, the grant is mean-tested so you may be asked to pay a contribution towards the cost of the works.

How do I apply?

Contact Norfolk County Council, Social Services on 0844 800 8014 for a Needs Assessment by an Occupational Therapist, who will then forward their recommendations to Broadland District Council.

Assistance with making a Disabled Facilities Grant application may be available through the Councils Care and Repair Agency. Call 01508 533798 for further information.

Discretionary financial assistance may be available for making a dwelling or building suitable for the accommodation, welfare and employment of the disabled occupant. Each application will be considered on its merits.

#          Small and large scale decent homes loans and safe and warm   grants.

What are small scale decent homes loans?

Small scale Decent Homes Loans are for approved urgent works where category 1 hazards exist as determined by the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS). The loan is subject to a six month residency requirement and availability of funds, loan assistance will be offered to applicants over the age of 18 and in receipt of one or more of the following benefits:

• Council Tax Benefit
• Housing Benefit
• Working Tax Credit (with disability element & where annual income is below that set by the government funded Warm Front Grant)
• Child Tax Credit (where annual income is below that set by the government funded Warm Front Grant)
• Income Based Job seekers Allowance
• Income Support
• Guaranteed Pension Credit
• Disability Living Allowance
• Attendance Allowance
• War Disablement Pension (Which must include the mobility supplement or Constant Attendance Allowance)
• Industrial Injuries Disablement Pension (which must include constant Attendance Allowance)

The loan will be registered as a land charge for a period of ten years following the certified completion of the works. Any cost associated with registering the land charge condition will be an allowable fee extra to the maximum value of the grant.

What are large scale decent homes loans?

Large Scale Decent Homes Loans address more extensive problems. All property that is classified as containing category 1 hazards as determined by the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS).  Loans for approved repair or improvement work will be available up to a maximum of £25,000.

Loans are subject to a six month residency requirement and availability of funds, loan assistance may be available to applicants over the age of 18 for approved works prioritized following a house condition survey. Where an applicant is on income support, guaranteed pension credit or income based job seekers allowance they will, after verification, be pass ported through to 100% assistance with loan eligible works.

In any other case the applicant will be required to participate in a test of financial resources to assess their capability to contribute towards the cost of the work. The test of financial resources will be the same as that used nationally for Disabled Facilities Grants.

The loan will be registered as a land charge for a period of 25 years following the certified completion of the works. Any cost associated with registering the land charge condition will be an allowable fee within the maximum value of the loan. Loans will only be available to applicants who at the date of approval are not in arrears with their Council Tax.

What are safe and warm grants?

Safe and Warm Grant are unconditional grants up to a maximum of £1,000 for emergency situations only, relating principally to uninsured failure of the services including:

• Water
• Heating
• Power supply
• Plumbing
• Drainage

In order to qualify the applicant must be in receipt of one or more of the benefits listed above.

Who is eligible for assistance?

Upon first contact with the Private Sector Housing Team, enquirers will be asked to provide sufficient information for the team to determine whether or not they are eligible for any form of assistance. If appropriate they will then be offered a house condition inspection. This is a pre-requisite for access to other forms of assistance.

Both Safe & Warm Grant and Decent Homes Loan assistance are restricted to owner / occupiers or long lease holders with repairing obligation. Tenants suffering poor housing condition will be covered by Housing Act enforcement action.

Can you help me apply and obtain estimates?

Yes, if you are over 60 or disabled you may wish to use our Care and Repair Service.

What are the hazards you look for?

The 2004 Housing Act introduced a new method of hazard assessment of a property. The HHSRS (Housing Health and Safety Rating System). This system requires the assessment of a property and provides 29 hazards that may require action by the council.

• Damp and mould growth
• Excess cold
• Excess heat
• Asbestos (and MMF)
• Biocides
• Carbon monoxide and fuel combustion products
• Lead
• Radiation
• Uncombusted fuel gas
• Volatile Organic Compounds
• Crowding and space
• Entry by intruders
• Lighting
• Noise
• Domestic hygiene, pests and refuse
• Food safety
• Personal hygiene, sanitation and drainage
• Water supply for domestic purpose
• Falls associated with baths
• Falling on level surfaces
• Falling between levels
• Electrical hazards
• Fire
• Flames, hot surfaces
• Collision and entrapment
• Explosions
• Position and operability of amenities
• Structural collapse and failing elements

Should I be worried if my home contains category 1 hazards?

No property will ever be hazard-free. Its all about acceptable risk and unacceptable risk.

What does the HHSRS assessment involve?

An HHSRS assessment looks at all the hazards at the property. Rather than assessing the hazards with the current occupiers in mind, the assessment is made on the basis of those groups who are most vulnerable to the hazards (usually the elderly). The rational being that if a property is “safe” for the most vulnerable, it will be safe for anybody.

How is a HHSRS assessment score obtained?

A mathematical formula relates the likelihood and effect of an occurrence to provide a numerical value.

How is HHSRS assessment result used?

The result of the assessment assists the Private Sector Team to deciding how severe a hazard is (whether it is a category 1 or category 2 hazard) and therefore what the eligible works will be if any.

How do I apply?

Contact the Private Sector Housing Team