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What is Decent Homes Assistance?
They are specifically designed to provide practical help through
works for repairs, improvements, adaptations or security measures
to a property, house boat or mobile home to improve health and
safety. This may include rewiring, damp-proofing works and
rectification of defects which are likely to cause injury or ill
health to occupants or others.
Who can apply for Decent Homes Assistance?
For owner occupiers the financial assistance is for vulnerable
persons i.e. those on certain benefits as follows:
- Income support
- Housing benefit
- Council tax benefit
- Income-based Jobseeker’s allowance
- Industrial injuries, disablement benefit
- Pension credit
- Guaranteed pension credit
- War disablement pension
- Working tax credit which includes a disability element or child
tax credit: Will be defined as vulnerable if you have a household
income of less than £15,000 (irrelevant if you receive other
benefits listed above)
The assistance for tenanted properties is not to provide for
basic standards due to be provided by the landlord anyway, but to
improve in the provision of insulation and fire precautions for
example.
The financial assistance is open to home owners or tenanted
properties. It is not open to tenants of Registered Social
Landlords, for example the Community Housing Group.
Normally a charge for the cost of the works will be put on the
property so that the money will be repaid to the Council when the
house is sold at some future date.
What does Decent Homes Assistance cover?
The works assisted will be those that help the property to
become 'decent' i.e. free from significant hazards, reasonable
thermal comfort and modern facilities e.g. kitchen and
bathroom.
Minor works under £250 will be carried out without a charge
being placed on the property. This handyman type service
complements services provided by Age Concern for example and could
cover for problems such as a few slipped tiles or providing some
simple electrical repairs.
How do I apply?
In the first instance contact should be made with the North
Worcestershire Care and Repair Agency telephone 01562 733217
Read
the Private Sector Housing Assistance Policy  (262K)
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