Private Sector Housing Assistance Policy

Housing Grants Construction and Regeneration Act 1996

Under this Act the Council has a legal duty to provide Disabled Facilities Grants (DFG) to eligible applicants.

Regulatory Reform (Housing Assistance) Order 2002

This Order provides a wide-ranging power to provide 'assistance in any form' 'either directly or indirectly to enable a person:

• to acquire living accommodation (whether within or outside their area)
• to adapt or improve living accommodation (whether by alteration, conversion or enlargement)
• to repair living accommodation

Under this legislation the Council is required to publish a policy stating how it intends to use its powers to offer assistance to enable improvements to private sector housing, and who is eligible to receive it.

Housing Act 2004

This Act introduced several new provisions, which included the introduction of a new Housing Health and Safety Rating Scheme (HHSRS) to replace the Housing Fitness Standard. The Act gives Councils the powers to take enforcement action based on assessments carried out under the HHSRS. These assessments focused on hazards that are most likely to occur in housing. This enables the Council to target properties in the poorest-condition and helps address health and wellbeing inequalities.

The Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996: Disabled Facilities Grant (Conditions relating to approval or payment of Grant) General Consent 2008

This consent sets out when a Council may request repayment of a mandatory Disabled Facilities Grant, the applicable amount that can be reclaimed and the factors the Council will have considered in deciding whether to require repayment.

Equality Act 2010

The Equality Act 2010 prohibits discrimination against people with the protected characteristics that are specified in section 4 of the Act. Disability is one of the specified characteristics.

The Care Act 2014

The Care Act 2014 is a significant piece of legislation which aims to.

• provide a single, clearer framework for the provision of care and support
• promote a preventative approach with services built around an individual's wellbeing
• give carers a right to assessment for support
• promote integration of health and social care
• make statutory provision for Safeguarding Adults Boards

The Care Act includes local housing authorities and providers as important partners for health and social care. The statutory guidance sets out how and when housing provision and options should be included into the processes in place to support wellbeing and address care and support needs.

Services that support people to maintain and adapt their homes are key to preventing, reducing and delaying care and support needs and acknowledgement has been given to the vital work that Home Improvement Agencies support people to live safely and independently in their own homes.