Discretionary Home Safety Assistance
Purpose/Key outcomes
A discretionary assistance to reduce the risk of accidents, improve security or enable victims of domestic abuse to remain in their own home where it is safe to do so by providing advice, support for the professional cleaning and clearance of properties, and the installation of safety and security equipment.
Eligibility Criteria (Applicant)
Applicant must be over 18 years of age.
For owner occupier or tenant who is vulnerable; or has been referred by crime prevention or health professional; or referred by a health visitor where property occupied by a child under the age of 5.
Other forms of funding have been fully investigated.
Eligibility Criteria (Property)
Property must be assessed as a significant risk to the safety of its occupants by a suitably qualified member of the Council’s Housing Improvement Team.
Information provided by other professionals will be considered (for example the. Police, Community Safety Unit, health professional, occupational therapist or health visitor)
Conditions
Not repayable
Maximum Assistance
Maximum £1,000 or £3,000 if rooms in the property have a Clutter Image Rating of above four.
*The definition of a means tested benefit includes State Pension Credit, Child Tax Credit, Income Related Employment and Support Allowance, Income Based Job Seekers Allowance, Income Support, Working Tax Credit and Universal Credit.
Assistance is not available for the following:
- Those dwellings that fall outside the definition of residential premises in accordance with the Housing Act 2004 Chapter 1 paragraph 1 (4) or those dwellings that fall outside of the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996.
- Cosmetic repairs such as redecoration or cleaning.
- Finishing DIY jobs started by the owner or others unless there are extenuating circumstances.
- Works which would normally be covered by a household insurance policy regardless of whether an applicant has a policy or not.
- Works which have already been completed.
The Council retains the right to apply a maximum amount payable in respect of individual approvals for assistance. The Council retains the right at any time to introduce a mechanism for further prioritisation of assistance under this policy to reflect budgetary requirements at the time.
Should any loan scheme cease and loans are no longer paid or are called in then any assistance towards those schemes will cease.