Housing Assistance Policy 2024-2027

In South Tyneside, our strategic goal is ‘Our South Tyneside – A place where people live healthy, happy and fulfilled lives' and the Council recognises that in order to achieve this ambition suitable, accessible homes are key factors to people remaining independent for as long as possible. Where someone lives can have a profound impact on not only their physical and mental health but can also reduce the number of people staying in hospital for longer than necessary or moving into residential care prematurely. Our aim in this policy is to ensure that adaptations and home alterations are closely aligned to our ambitions as a Council, which include keeping people ‘healthy and well’ and ‘part of strong communities’ by targeting the right support at the right time to enable people in South Tyneside to live independently in a place they call home. Furthermore, this policy aims to provide a fair and equitable approach for anyone needing an adaptation no matter what tenure they reside. It is important to the Council to ensure a fair approach to assistance making sure that the funding available reaches those people in most need.

This goal is further underpinned in our co-produced five-year vision and strategy for Adult Social Care and Commissioning, ‘Living Better Lives’ 2022-2026. This contains four key objectives that reflect both national and local priorities that people have told us are important to them:

• Prevention and early intervention
• Support people to remain in control
• Keeping people at risk of harm and abuse safe and well
• Working in partnership to improve health and care
• Working together with our communities
• Have a sustainable and skilled workforce

Our Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy also recognises that providing the right home contributes to “giving every child and young person the best start in life”.

Although ambitious, the Council recognises that it cannot achieve its vision and objectives without working with partners. Through collaboration with health partners, we have developed an integrated Better Care Fund (BCF) Plan aimed to address key health priorities and tackle inequalities across the borough, grant funding for adaptations and home improvements forms part of this fund. The priorities and objectives set out in the plan are core to how we allocate our BCF. The overarching approach and direction of travel for ensuring the health and wellbeing of our population, and maintaining people’s independence for as long as possible, will be delivered though four key objectives:

• Prevention and early intervention
• Enabling choice and control for people and their families
• Ensuring high quality and safe support and services for people
• Developing a health and social care workforce

This policy provides guidance on the delivery of the Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) which is set out in Part 1 of the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996 and the Regulatory Reform (Housing Assistance) Order 2002 which introduced discretionary powers for local authorities to provide a range of innovative ways to enable independent living through the provision of financial assistance. Such assistance is available to all people of all ages and tenures to enable them to remain living safely and independently in their own home. This includes people with physical disabilities, autism, learning disabilities, cognitive impairments, progressive conditions, age-related disabilities and those with a terminal illness.

This policy will outline our approach to the following:

• Our key priorities for providing financial assistance and who we are intending to benefit
• The funding that has been committed to the Policy and where this comes from
• The assistance that is being offered
• Eligibility criteria
• Our approach to means testing
• The amounts available
• The application process
• How you can complain or appeal the decision
• How we apply discretion on cases that fall outside the policy
• Our service standards
• Performance and Outcomes Monitoring
• Our implementation and review plan

South Tyneside is home to about 150,000 people and is a borough characterised by pockets of affluence co-located with widespread deprivation. Out of 326 authorities we rank 15^th for health deprivation, 13^th for income and 3^rd for employment. Child poverty is sadly a key factor and in 2020/21 the borough ranked the sixth highest for this domain.

12% of residents in the borough, over 18,000 people, have a long-term health problem or disability that increases the risk of hospital admissions and the potential to be accommodated in a residential setting unnecessarily. This is above the regional and national averages 10.7% and 9.3%.

The demand for adaptations for people with hidden disabilities has increased. Locally 2382 people 18+ have a learning disability, this includes 1163 people with an Autistic Spectrum Disorder, 584 with a moderate or severe learning disability and 57 people with Down Syndrome. We also have seen the number of child referrals to the Council’s Occuptional Therapy Service significantly increase with a 23% increase in 20/21, a further 30% increase in 21/22 and a 47% increase in 22/23. The majority of the referrals are for children with hidden disabilities.

The average life expectancy for people in South Tyneside is 76.4 for men and 81.2 for women, compared to the national average of 79.4 men and 83.1 woman respectively. In South Tyneside 3.98% of residents aged 65 or over are estimated to have a dementia.

Our living Better Lives Strategy puts people, families, and communities very much at the heart of what we do, we are committed to supporting our residents with the right level of support when they need it. As part of our approach to maximise a person’s independence we want to build upon people’s strengths and assets; to enable them to live a better life; in the neighbourhoods and communities they call home.

South Tyneside Council aims to deliver DFGs effectively and efficiently to contribute to the overall vision and objectives set out above by utilising funded adaptations to best serve the needs of older and disabled people, our communities and the individual needs of our residents, their family and carers, whilst giving people the choice to live independently and healthily in their own homes for longer.

This policy has been produced to provide clarity on the funding available for adaptations and home improvements, how it will be used, prioritised and targeted to reduce inequalities and make things fairer for the people of South Tyneside.

Below are the key priorities we set out to achieve:

• A fair and equitable process which enables a solution to meet needs in a timely and proportionate way
• Keeping people in their home for as long as possible
• Reducing the number of hospital admissions
• Reducing the number of people staying in hospital for longer than necessary
• Reducing the number of people moving to residential and care homes prematurely
• Enabling choice and control for people and their families
• Providing adaptations without delay

In order to provide assistance, the Council has two main funding streams that are outlined in the below paragraphs. The policy aims to make best use of the resources available to ensure positive, value for money outcomes that support people and families to live independently in communities they call home.

The Council receives an annual, ring-fenced Disabled Facilities Grant through the BCF in recognition of the importance in ensuring adaptations are part of an integrated approach to housing, health and social care at a local level. This funding must be spent in accordance with locally agreed BCF plans and is intended to fund adaptations for owner-occupiers, private tenants, or tenants of private registered providers (housing associations).

Council tenants are also eligible to apply for a DFG, however, the provision for funding this is via the Housing Revenue Account (HRA). A provision for this was allowed for in the 2012-13 self-financing settlement and guidance was received by the local authorities about how to calculate such provision in subsequent years.

In order to ensure the best use of Council housing stock it is our policy to not remove adaptations should a property become vacant. Instead, we aim to match adapted stock to people waiting for appropriate housing that meets need.

A DFG is available to provide financial support to adapt a home environment to restore or facilitate independent living, maintain the privacy of the person and provide/promote dignity and confidence for the individual and/or family. A wide range of capital works can be provided, this is set out in the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996. A list of such capital works is detailed below:

• Facilitating access to the home and garden
• Making the premises safer
• Access to the principle family room or bedroom
• Access to a bath or shower
• Access to a wash hand basin
• Access to a toilet
• Facilitating the preparation of food
• Better heating or cooling
• Control of power, light and heat
• Caring for others

Alongside the mandatory DFG, the Council has agreed a number of discretionary funds to further support independent living. These are detailed in paragraph 7.1

Applications for adaptations will be judged on their own merit and the local authority will work in partnership with relevant agencies to ensure the work is carried out in a timely, sensitive manner and meets the needs of the person, their family and/or carers. The Council will consider how best to achieve value for money by taking into consideration the design of the adaptation so that it would meet any future need of the person and considering longer term projected costs of health and social care.

The Council will always look for the most proportionate solution to meet someone’s needs and will consider all options available taking into consideration the property type and ease of adaptations. For more complex situations, the Council may explore with the person alternative accommodation in the first instance in order to meet the needs of the disabled person, family and/or carers.

DFGs are available to people of all ages and all tenures to provide assistance with the cost of adaptations to meet the needs of a disabled person/occupant. For the purpose of the grant funding a person is disabled if they are an adult who is or could be registered under section 77 of the Care Act 2014, they are a child or young person registered under paragraph 2 of Schedule 2 to the Children Act 1989 or are a disabled child as defined by section 17 of the Children Act 1989.

The disabled applicant must be living or intending to reside in a dwelling or qualifying houseboat or caravan as their main residence. Where more than one disabled person resides at the same address the Council will consider multiple applications based on each person’s individual needs. For children living in joint custody arrangements the local authority will only consider a statutory DFG for the child’s main residence which is usually the home of the parent in receipt of child benefit, although the Council may consider discretionary funding in certain circumstances. This will be considered on a case-by-case basis taking into consideration the child’s needs.

Applications can be made by an owner-occupier, landlord, tenant of a dwelling or the occupant of a caravan or qualifying houseboat. The applicant is not necessarily the disabled person who may be an occupant at the address.

The Council will ensure the following when deciding which adaptations are eligible works for grant assistance:

• That the disabled occupant requires the adaptation in order to meet one or more purpose
• That the proposed adaptations would meet the above needs
• That the eligible works are necessary and appropriate to meet the needs of the disabled person and are reasonable and practicable taking into consideration the age and condition of the dwelling, caravan or houseboat

When considering whether the adaptation is necessary and appropriate, the grants officer will take guidance from Occupational Therapists/Trusted Assessors whose role is to assess the disabled person and recommend the appropriate work to meet the identified need(s). As part of determining whether an adaptation is necessary and appropriate the assessing officer will take into consideration the below principles:

• Need to retain (or restore) dignity
• Need to have values recognised
• Need for relief from pain, discomfort, and danger
• Need to minimise barriers to independence
• Need for some element of choice
• Need for good communication as part of giving choice
• Need for light
• Particular needs of children: to provide for growth and change; and the need for space
• Needs of other family members and of the family as a whole

In determining whether the work is reasonable and practicable to carry out, the grants officer will, if necessary, take technical advice to determine whether it is cost effective to carry out the work given the age and/or condition of the property.

The Council has a duty to ensure any work is value for money therefore other options may be considered as alternative solutions, for example, consideration to utilise rooms in a dwelling differently or considering rehousing options etc. The Council will always consider the lowest cost solution that achieves value for money in order to meet the disabled person’s need. Should the applicant wish to have more extensive work carried out the additional cost would be met by the applicant.

Means testing will be carried out for all tenures to ensure an equitable approach across the borough of South Tyneside.

DFG applications over £10,000 will be subject to a means test to ensure that the grant funding available reaches residents in the borough with the lowest incomes. Applicants will be asked to provide evidence of their income and savings for the test to be carried out. There are exemptions to this requirement covered in paragraph 6.3. As part of the grant application process the Council will consider using its discretionary powers to waive the means test should they feel the applicant would face excessive financial hardship as a result of its application.

Exemptions for means testing apply for eligible disabled child under 16 or young person aged 16-20 who qualifies for Child Benefit or would otherwise face significant financial hardship should a means test be applied. A person in receipt of a means tested benefit will also be exempt from means testing. Benefits include:

• Income Support
• Housing Benefit
• Universal Credit
• Guaranteed Pension Credit
• Income-Based Job Seekers Allowance
• Working Tax Credit with an annual income of less than £15,050
• Income Related Employment and Support Allowance

Military compensation will not be taken into consideration as income for the purposes of calculating the means test.

Equipment, including the provision of ramps and stairlifts are not means tested and remain the property of the Council.

Applications made by a landlord are subject to different rules and are not means tested, however in all cases the Council will take into account the extent to which the landlord is able to charge a higher rent and may reduce the amount of grant available for major adaptations, requiring the landlord to contribute up to 20%.

The below are the amounts available whether an adaptation is grant funded using the Government allocation or funded through the Housing Revenue Account (Council tenants only):

The following are incidents in which we may not be able to provide assistance or we may need to reduce the funding available:

• When there is a dispute over property ownership.
• If the property owner(s) have a legal obligation to carry out the necessary works and it is reasonable for them to do so.
• Assistance cannot be given for works that have begun before the formal approval of the application. We may in exceptional circumstances exempt an application from this condition, such as when a defect poses serious risks to health and safety.
• Assistance cannot be provided for work covered by insurance.
• We will only offer assistance if the property’s age, condition, and structural layout make it feasible to achieve the required scope of works.
• We will only provide assistance to meet the needs identified by the Occupational Therapist, should the applicant request enhanced work then the applicant would be required to self-fund the additional work.
• We will always take into account the applicant’s ability to contribute to the costs of the adaptation, particularly when considering discretionary funding.
• We will not grant discretionary funding in cases where rehousing would provide an appropriate cost-effective solution.

Applications must be supported by an assessment carried out by either an Occupational Therapist or Trusted assessor that deems the recommended adaptation necessary and appropriate. Applicants for adult adaptations can request an assessment by contacting the Council’s Let’s Talk Team on 0191 424 6000. Applications for a child or children should be triaged by Children’s Services before being referred for an Occupational Therapist Assessment. A request for an assessment for a child or children can be made by contacting the Council on 0191 427 7000.

Applicants that have had an assessment undertaken by the health service or privately may submit their request for grant funding directly to the Council’s Disability Housing Team by e-mailing: DisabilityHousing.TeamAdmin@southtyneside.gov.uk

The assessment will involve the Occupational Therapist or Trusted Assessor discussing the issues the disabled person has, including medical conditions and physical barriers which prevent the person maintaining their independence. The purpose of the assessment is to identify the adaptation(s) that are necessary and appropriate to improve the way the person can use and mobilise within their home.

From the outset, the Council will consider if the alterations/adaptations are reasonable and practicable given the age and condition of the dwelling. Consideration may also be given to alternative options for example utilising rooms differently or moving to alternative accommodation that would suit the needs of the disabled person, the family and carers. Once it has been established that the adaptation(s) are necessary, appropriate, reasonable and practicable permission will be sought from the owner of the property before proceeding to carry out the work.

Adaptations for privately owned/rented properties will be expected to complete a formal grant application. All DFG applications, regardless of tenure, over £10,000 will undergo a means test unless an exemption applies (see 6.2). The Council’s in-house Disability Housing Team will work with the applicant to administer the grant paperwork in line with current legislation and the current local policy.

If you are unhappy at the decision that has been made about your grant application and would like to appeal, you can do so within 14 days the date on your decision letter using the following methods:

• By letter to the Disability Housing Team, South Tyneside Council, Town Hall and Civic Offices, Westoe Road, South Shields, Tyne and Wear, NE33 2RL
• In person at South Shields Town Hall (Customer Service Centre) or Jarrow Town Hall (Customer Service Centre)
• By telephone on 0191 427 7000
• By e-mail to: DisabilityHousing.TeamAdmin@southtyneside.gov

Your appeal will be considered by a Senior Manager who was not involved in the initial decision about your grant application. We will aim to respond to you within 4 weeks of receiving your appeal. Should you still remain unhappy about the decision you can make a formal complaint by following the steps in paragraph 9.2.

If you wish to complain about the way in which your application has been processed or the work carried out by a contractor, you can do so in the following ways:

• Online using our Complaints form
• In person at South Shields Town Hall (Customer Service Centre) or Jarrow Town Hall (Customer Service Centre)
• By telephone on 0191 427 7000
• By letter to South Tyneside Council, Town Hall and Civic Offices, Westoe Road, South Shields, Tyne and Wear, NE33 2RL
• You can also seek help from our Customer Advocates Service to make your complaint. You can contact them on 0191 424 6028 or by emailing complaints@southtyneside.gov.uk.

The Council will consider each application upon its merits and will apply discretion on this basis. Cases that fall outside the policy will be considered by the Community Services Lead and the Director of Adult Social Services.

The Council acknowledges that improvements could be made to the time it takes to carry out adaptations and as such will be working towards implementing a set of service standards that residents can expect in order to deliver adaptations without delay acknowledging the need to work towards the timescales set out in the DFG Guidance published in March 2022.

A commitment is made to ensure that a decision about a DFG application is made within 6 months of the application being completed and received by the Local Authority. Once the grant is approved, we aim to carry out minor adaptation work within 12 weeks and to start work on more complex adaptions requiring internal/external building work between 6 months to 1 year of the application being received.

Performance of service delivery and outcomes for people will be monitored through monthly management data performance clinics, case file audits, complaints and compliments. In addition each person in receipt of services will be contacted using a quality and assurance framework and will be asked a series of questions to identify if the solution provided has enabled their independence.

Performance and data reporting is shared at monthly Director Assurance Sessions, Corporate Assurance Board, elected member scrutiny and required indicators are reported within the Adult Social Care Outcomes Framework (ASCOF).

This policy has been agreed and endorsed by South Tyneside Council’s Borough Council Meeting on 14 March 2024. This policy will come into effect from 1 April 2024, and it will apply only to full applications received after this date. Please note that applications for discretionary assistance outlined in this policy cannot be made for past works; they must be applied for after the policy takes effect.

Every effort will be made to publicise this Policy widely utilising the Council’s website, social media and through partner organisations.

Performance of this policy will be monitored through monthly performance clinics. Regular quality monitoring will also be undertaken to determine the person’s journey and to ensure the assessed need has been met.

This policy will be reviewed every three years to ensure its effectiveness. Earlier reviews may take place should there be changes in funding, legislation or identified best practice.  The Council may also choose to review the policy should there be changes in the take up of grants or performance challenges.