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• Housing renewal (including Disabled Facilities Grants)
• Notes and definitions for housing renewal (including Disabled Facilities Grants)

Housing

Notes and definitions for housing renewal (including Disabled Facilities Grants)

Payments to private owners and tenants under the Regulatory Reform (Housing Assistance) Order 2002

The Regulatory Reform (Housing Assistance)(England and Wales) Order 2002 became law on 18 July 2002. The Order gives local authorities greater discretionary powers to provide assistance such as low cost loans and equity release as well as grants to private homeowners and others to help them to renovate, repair or adapt their home. The Order also enables authorities to provide other sorts of assistance, for example helping someone move to more suitable accommodation where this is a better option than repairing or adapting their existing home.

Local authorities have the flexibility to determine eligibility criteria, whether to perform a means test and the type of assistance available (e.g. grant, loan advice, works). Use of the new power is subject to the authority formulating and publishing a policy setting out how it intends to use the new power to give assistance. Mandatory Disabled Facilities Grants are outside the scope of the new reforms, but the Order does extend eligibility to those living in park homes and houseboats. Information on what housing renewal assistance may be available in your local area can be obtained from the local council.

The previous prescriptive legislation governing Renovation, Houses in multiple occupation (HMO), Common parts grants and Home repair assistance was repealed from 18 July 2003. However, it remains extant for grants already approved under the system.

Payments to private owners and tenants under the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996 and the Local Government and Housing Act 1989

The Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration 1996 Act came into operation on December 1996, replacing the Local Government and Housing Act 1989. The main effect of the 1996 Act was to make most grants discretionary rather than to change significantly the nature of the grants, although there were some modifications. Just one area of the 1989 Act, Renewal Areas, was left completely unchanged. It was repealed in July 2003 . However, payments will continue for grants previously approved.

The Local Government and Housing Act 1989 came into operation in England and Wales from July 1990, apart from Minor Works Assistance which came into operation from April 1990. This system of house renovation grants is briefly described below. It was repealed in November 1996. However, payments will continue for grants previously approved.

Home Repair Assistance (HRA)

HRA was available at the authority's discretion for financial support or materials to facilitate small-scale works of improvement, adaptation or improvement of a dwelling. It replaced Minor Works Assistance (1989 Act) and was intended, like it's predecessor, to compliment the mainstream system of renovation grants. HRA was limited to a maximum of £2,000 per application, and no more than £4,000 was granted to any one property over a three-year period. HRA was not directly means-tested, although to be considered for a grant, an applicant would have had to be in receipt of at least one state benefit. In addition, they would have had to be over 18, had the power to carry out the works, and have lived in the dwelling as their only or main residence or care for an elderly, infirm or disabled person. This grant was available to people living in mobile homes and houseboats.

Examples of typical HRA works were:

• Securing the basic fabric of the property from wind or rain
• Protecting the occupants from immediate exposure to danger (that is, emergency works)
• Replacement of lead pipes 
• Repairs to doors or windows 
• Removal of radon 
• Crime prevention measures 
• Wheelchair ramps or grip rails

Renovation Grants

This grant was the main type of grant for the improvement and/or repair of dwellings and for the conversion of houses and other buildings into flats for letting. It was mainly available to owner-occupiers and landlords (other than HMO landlords), though it was available to tenants who were liable for works under the terms of their lease. The amount of grant was decided by the costs of the works concerned and the test of financial resources.

The main purposes of the grant were:

• To bring property up to the standard of fitness for human habitation (see below). If a property is below this standard, then action will be required by the local authority, and if renovation is most appropriate then a grant is mandatory to owner occupiers. Grant is only mandatory to landlords if the works are required to comply with a repair notice.
• To repair and/or improve a property beyond the standard of fitness. Grant is discretionary and it can be given in addition to mandatory grant, or on its own in the case of property already fit. For this reason the numbers of grants given out may exceed the numbers of dwellings renovated.
• For home insulation, where grant is discretionary
• For heating, where again grant is discretionary, unless it is to make a property meet the fitness standard.
• For providing satisfactory internal arrangements, where grant is discretionary.
• For conversions, where grant is discretionary.

Common Parts Grants

This grant was available to help with the improvement or repair of the common parts of buildings containing one or more flats, where at least three quarters of the flats have occupying tenants (that is Owner occupiers, long leaseholders or tenants whose flat is their main residence). Grants were available to landlords, landlords together with occupying tenants, or to occupying tenants if their lease made them liable for the works in question. Grants for works by a landlord to comply with a repair notice would have been mandatory; all other grants were discretionary. The amount of grant was decided by the test of financial resources.

HMO Grants

This grant was available to cover works on Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) where the occupants did not form a single household. It was only available to landlords. If works were required to comply with a statutory notice, then the grant was mandatory. Otherwise work to bring the HMO up to the standard of fitness was discretionary. Discretionary grants were available for works to HMOs similar to those described in relation to the renovation grant. They were also available for the conversion of property into an HMO. The amount of grant again depended on the test of financial resources.

Disabled Facilities Grants

This grant is available for adapting, or providing facilities for, the home of a disabled person to make it more suitable for them to live in. It is also available for adaptations to the common parts of buildings containing one or more flats for a disabled person. Grants are available to, or on behalf of, registered or eligible disabled persons. They can be made to owner-occupiers, tenants (including local authority or housing association tenants) or to landlords on behalf of disabled tenants. Mandatory grants are available for works to make the disabled person manage more independently at home. Discretionary grant is available for other works to make a home suitable for disabled occupant's accommodation, welfare or employment. The amount of grant is subject to the test of financial resources.

Minor Works Assistance

This was available for carrying out small-scale works (costing up to £1,080), including insulation work. Assistance was only available to owner-occupiers or private sector tenants (including housing association tenants) who received an income related benefit. This assistance was for the following purposes:

• To improve thermal insulation.
• For minor works to repair, improve or adapt a property for elderly occupants
• To adapt property to enable an elderly person to move in with the occupants.
• To carry out minor repairs to a property in a clearance area.
• To replace lead piping in the water supply.