More support agreed to help residents live safely and independently at home

More residents with disabilities will soon be able to get support to make their homes safer and easier to live in thanks to a new council plan.  

At a meeting on Wednesday 9 July the council’s cabinet agreed to a new Housing Assistance Policy, meaning improved grants and loans will be available for home adaptations for residents, whether they privately rent, are a housing association tenant or own their own homes.    

Changes include support to prevent falls and improve day-to-day independence, helping more people stay in their homes for longer. 

Councillor Pat Slattery, Cabinet Member for Housing Management, Neighbourhoods and Homelessness, said: “Our improved Housing Assistance Policy provides more flexibility, reduces bureaucracy and reflects the increases in costs needed to help people with disabilities live safely at home. We want our residents who need that extra bit of support to be able to live safely and securely in their own homes if they wish too, and this revised policy will help many more residents to be able to do this.”   

Councillor Mariam Lolavar, Cabinet Member for Health, Adult Social Care and Borough of Sanctuary said: “We want people’s health to support them in living their best life. The changes we’ve agreed will help even more residents to be able to access vital support they need to be able to live well in their own homes and prevent recurring hospital admissions and delays to hospital discharge because a home doesn’t meet their current needs. This is important not only for their overall health and wellbeing but also in helping to provide more choice and control over their own lives.”  

The new policy sets out a range of discretionary support funded by the Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) which is part of the government’s Better Care Fund.   

The measures include:  

• a discretionary £25,000 grant to top-up any work needed to adapt a home for residents with higher needs. This would be in addition to the maximum amount of £30,000 available from the DFG
• a discretionary £30,000 interest-free loan or equity mortgage for any work needed over £55,000 to adapt the homes of owner occupiers (secured against the residents’ property)
• increased support for people with an assessed financial contribution towards the cost of DFG funded work
• grants to install hoists to enable safe transfers for people with disabilities and their carers reducing the risk of injury  
• up to £3,500, increased from £1,000, to support small home adaptations that can prevent falls leading to hospital admission
• a new non-means tested grant of up to £1,000 to provide minor adaptations to help people with cognitive or sensory impairment
• a new grant of up to £3,500 to clean and clear up homes for people who have experienced self-neglect or are identified as hoarders to help them return home quicker after hospital stays or prevent hospital admission
• a new non-means tested grant of up to £15,000 to provide non-permanent installations to support residents at the end of their life who wish to remain or return home
• targeted support for private landlords to encourage them to provide homes or to continue to provide homes for people with disabilities 

In addition, the policy also includes grants for private sector landlords so they can repair or convert homes to bring empty properties back into use for people who are homeless, either as settled accommodation or temporary accommodation.  

The changes will be communicated to residents with details of how to apply for the grants and loans when they come into effect later in the year. 

Existing council tenants 
If you are a council tenant with a disability you can request home adaptations or changes to your home that can make it easier for you to do daily tasks. 

To request an assessment please call 020 8921 2304, email aops.contact.officers@royalgreenwich.gov.uk or visit our webpage on how to get home equipment or adaptations.