Safe homes for older and vulnerable people
Independent Living Services Home Improvement Agency (HIA) provides a range of advice and assistance to older or vulnerable people who are owner-occupiers or renting their home from a private landlord or housing association, to enable them to remain living independently in their own homes.
As well as advice, the service can help vulnerable people access financial assistance, subject to eligibility to adapt their homes or deal with serious hazards that would affect the health and safety of the of the occupier. The type of assistance currently available includes:
- Disabled Facilities Grant
- Discretionary Disabled Facilities Grant Top-up Grant or Loan
- Discretionary Norfolk and Waveney Equity Loan Scheme
- Discretionary Emergency Repair Loan
- Discretionary Be at Home Adaptations
- Discretionary Forget Me Not Grants (Dementia Grants)
Independent Living Services HIA works as part of the Integrated Housing Adaptation Team to support people through the Disabled Facilities Grant process from initial application to completion of works. This includes:
- Working with occupational therapists to identify adaptations that are needed
- Support to apply for a Disabled Facilities Grant, including advice on completing the application form.
- Drawing plans, applying for building regulations and planning approvals
- Facilitating a builder to carry out the works on your behalf.
- Obtaining costs, organising the building works and monitoring progress to completion.
- Ensuring the builder's work is completed on time and to a satisfactory standard
The HIA charges a fee for this support, however for most people this will be met by the Disabled Facilities Grant. For most works there is a base fee that covers the cost of any preliminary support offered by the HIA and then a percentage fee based on the value of the completed works. The current fees are:
| Description of work | Fees |
|---|---|
| Stairlifts - straight | £150 |
| Stairlifts - curved | 12.5% |
| Disabled Facilities Grants | £350 plus 12.5% |
| Disabled Facilities Grants - tendered works with plans | £350 plus 15% |
If you would like to find out more, about the assistance available and eligibility, please click on the links above or alternatively contact Independent Living Services:
- tel: 01493 846190
- email: adaptations@great-yarmouth.gov.uk
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