[A]llerdale Borough Council is offering a series of grants which are available for vulnerable people living in Allerdale who need to make improvements or adaptations in their homes.
Disabled Facilities Grant
Disabled residents in Allerdale can apply for up to £30,000 to adapt their homes with a Disabled Facilities Grant from Allerdale Borough Council. This grant is available for homeowners or tenants living in either private or housing association properties, and can be used to help disabled people keep their independence.
The grant can cover works such as:
- Improving access to rooms and facilities – for example: stairlifts, level access showers and door widening
- Adapting heating or lighting controls to make them easier to use
- Providing a heating system that suits your needs
- Improving the entrances to your home and access to your garden.
A top up grant is also available should essential works exceed the £30,000 limit.
Discretionary Disability Grant Assistance
Discretionary Disability Grant Assistance is available to cover disabled adaptations that fall outside of the mandatory Disabled Facilities Grant criteria. This includes adaptations for dual residency children and adult cases, works to enable hospital discharge and adaptations for financial hardship cases. Grants can be provided for applications for straight and curved stairlifts without means testing applications.
Disability Relocation Grant
Up to £3,000 is available to disabled residents who require changes to their existing home, but it is deemed as not reasonable or practical to adapt. The funding will cover some of the costs needed to relocate to more suitable housing. The grant will contribute towards reasonable costs associated with moving home, including removal costs, estate agents fees, legal costs or the disconnection and reconnection of household appliances.
These grants are subject to a referral from an occupational therapist who will undertake an assessment of need and determine what works are essential to enable the occupier to live independently and safely in their home.
Safe and Warm Grants
The Safe and Warm Grant Assistance has been introduced to carry out essential works in the homes of vulnerable owner occupied households Residents can apply for up to £15,000 to contribute towards the works including improvements to security, heating installations and general disrepair.
Councillor Carni McCarron-Holmes, portfolio holder for Housing, Health and Wellbeing, said “These grants are essential to help people in Allerdale adapt their homes to their own specific needs. By implementing changes, it can make it much easier and safer for residents to go about their daily life. I would encourage everyone in the borough who needs it to apply as these grants are here to help and they really do make a difference to peoples’ lives.”
Allerdale’s Housing and Health team can support and advise applicants every step of the way, from application stage until the works are complete. They urge people to get in touch as we are able to signpost customers onto other agencies that may be able to help if we cannot. For more information on any of these grants, or to apply, contact them on 01900 702570. The team will also be attending the Cumbria County Council’s Falls Prevention events across Allerdale this week and will be available to discuss the grants.