Issue - meetings

This report proposes a revised version of our existing Private Sector Housing Grants Assistance Policy which was originally agreed by the Community & Wellbeing Committee in June 2017. Minor amendments have been made and approved by committee since, but this is the first significant review.

Using the increased funding from the Better Care Fund (BCF) for the Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG), the policy aims to provide a more pragmatic and holistic approach and to better reflect the symbiotic relationship between housing and social care needs.

The Committee received a report proposing a revised version of the existing Private Sector Housing Grants Assistance Policy which was originally agreed by the Community & Wellbeing Committee in June 2017. Minor amendments have been made and approved by committee since, but this is the first significant review.

Using the increased funding from the Better Care Fund (BCF) for the Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG), the policy aims to provide a more pragmatic and holistic approach and to better reflect the symbiotic relationship between housing and social care needs.

Following consideration, the Committee unanimously resolved to:

(1)      Approve and adopt the revised Private Sector Housing Grants Assistance Policy as set out in Appendix 1, in response to central government guidance to utilise grant funding more flexibly and to proactively assist more households.

The Committee received a report proposing a revised version of the existing Private Sector Housing Grants Assistance Policy which was originally agreed by the Community & Wellbeing Committee in June 2017.

The following matters were considered by the Committee:

a)            Assistance with Form Completion. In response to a question from a Member, the Housing Grants Officer explained that, in the event an applicant is experiencing difficulty in completing their application form for any reason, the Council can provide a service in which an Officer can visit the applicant in order to assist with the completion of their form. Such assistance can also be provided over the phone.

b)            Home Adaptation and Relocation. In response to a question from a Member, the Housing Grants Officer explained that, in the event that a need for home adaptation work has been identified, but the accommodation isn't suitable for said works, there is a separate grant that the Council can offer to help the applicant to relocate. She explained that an applicant isn’t automatically pushed up the register priority because they are in a property that can’t be adapted, though any disabilities that the applicant may have are taken into account in line with the allocation policy. She explained that it has been a rare occurrence that a property has been unable to be adapted as required.

c)            Policy Flexibility. A Member enquired as to whether there was any flexibility to accommodate applications submitted outside of the conditions set out in the policy due to exceptional circumstances. The Housing Grants Officer explained that such applications would be considered on a case-by-case basis by the Strategic Housing Manager, as set out at section 8 of the policy.

Following consideration, the Committee unanimously resolved to:

(1)      Approve and adopt the revised Private Sector Housing Grants Assistance Policy as set out in Appendix 1, in response to central government guidance to utilise grant funding more flexibly and to proactively assist more households.