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Provided by Mae Stewart, Editor UNISON Retired members Newsletter,
Dundee, Perth and Angus. Please note that this is not definitive
information about benefits but will provide a signpost as to where
to get up to date information. Please check the sources first.
UNISON Scotland can take no responsibility for information that
may be outdated or inaccurate.
The new force combining Age Concern and Help the Aged
Issue 29 November 2010
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House repairs, improvements
and adaptations
Your home may need some repairs to make it safer or more
comfortable. If you are a homeowner with savings, this will
probably be your own responsibility. It is important to find
a reliable firm to carry out the work. Make a detailed list
of what you want done and be sure to get at least three written
quotations from different companies.
If possible, approach builders who have done work for someone
you know and trust, and who belong to a respected trade organisation
such as the Federation of Master Builders To find details
of a business which has the Trust Mark logo (an initiative
backed by the Government), visit its website at www.trustmark.org.uk
It helps people looking for a reliable and trustworthy tradesperson
to carry out repair and improvements to their home.
You can also call Consumer Direct on 0845 404 0506. It cannot
recommend individual companies, but it will give you details
of approved scheme operators who have suitable Trust Mark-registered
trades people. Make sure you check the address of the building
firm and ask them to show you some recent customer references.
Finally, make sure that all the details of the work to be
done, the timings and the costs are agreed in writing with
the builder. Don't be pressured into having building work
done by doorstep traders. The Office of Fair Trading produces
a booklet called 'Having work done on your home' which gives
guidance on planning and managing work on your home. See the
'Useful contacts' for the address.
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Advice for tenants:
If you are a housing association or private tenant, your
landlord is usually responsible for carrying out necessary
repairs. Check your rent book or tenancy agreement to see
whether this is the case. If your landlord is not responsible,
then you can apply for a grant from your council (see below).
If you are a council tenant, some repairs will be the council's
responsibility.
Contact the housing department of your local council (or
your local housing executive in Northern Ireland) to find
out how to get repairs done. Communities and Local Government
produces a booklet called A better deal for tenants: Your
new right to repair. you can get a copy from its publication
department on 0870 122 6236. This booklet contains information
for council tenants who live in England and Wales.
If you live in Scotland, contact your local housing department
for more information. If your landlord is unwilling to make
repairs they are responsible for, seek advice from your local
Citizens Advice Bureau or your council's housing advice department.
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Grants from the council:
You may be able to get a grant or loan from your local council
to help with the costs of small repairs to your home and major
renovation work - for example, replacing a rotten window or
installing a bathroom if you don't have one. If you are disabled
you can also apply for a Disabled Facilities Grant to adapt
your home to make it more suitable. This might include things
such as fitting a ramp or making it easier to use the bathroom.
The help you can get varies depending on your finances, where
you live, and whether you are a homeowner or a tenant. See
our information sheet 'Home Repairs and Improvements' for
more information about each situation or contact your local
housing department if you live in England, Wales or Scotland,
or the housing executive in Northern Ireland.
Your local Citizens Advice Bureau or home improvement agency
should also be able to give you advice on the grants available
in your area. Bear in mind that it can be quite difficult
to get a grant, depending on the financial situation and policies
of your local council. But it is always worth trying. Never
start work until your grant has been approved - if you do
this the council can refuse to pay any grant at all.
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Insulation and draughtproofing:
Good insulation and draughtproofing can make a big difference
both to your comfort and to your fuel bills. There are different
grant schemes in England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales
which offer financial help towards things such as draughtproofing,
loft insulation and cavity wall insulation. Our free advice leaflet
'Keep Out the Cold' gives details of these grants and how to qualify,
as well as general advice on keeping your home warm and making
the cost of your heating.
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Social Fund payments
If you are getting Pension Credit, you could apply for a Social
Fund Community Care Grant. These can be given towards leaving
a care home, helping you stay independent at home or if your family
is under exceptional pressure. Payments are discretionary which
means that you have no legal right to a grant.
If you have been getting Pension Credit for at least 26 weeks
you may be able to get a Social Fund Budgeting Loan. These
are paid out of your weekly Pension Credit. But bear in mind that
Budgeting Loans can result in more debt and difficult so it is
always better to try to get a grant. Contact your local Jobcentre
Plus office for more information on applying for a Social Fund
grant or loan. You can get their details from your local phone
book.
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Other sources of funding:
You may like to approach a charity or benevolent
fund as another source of funding. For more information about
benevolent societies, see our free information sheet, Financial
Help from Benevolent Societies. If you can't get a grant, or if
you are only given one that covers part of the cost, and you cannot
get help from a charity or benevolent fund, you may want to look
at other ways of raising money. If you own your home you may want
to consider an equity release plan which involves mortgaging or
selling part of your home in return for a cash lump sum or a regular
monthly income.
You could also consider borrowing money against
your home through an ordinary loan, or an interest-only loan.
With an interest-only loan you pay back only interest each month
- the sum you borrow does not have to be repaid until the house
is sold. If you are considering any sort of loan, think carefully
about whether you can afford the repayments. With an ordinary
loan, remember that monthly repayments will probably be high as
it will be repaid over a relatively short period.
If your home has been affected by things such as
storm damage or subsidence, contact your home insurer to find
out whether these types of events are covered, subject to paying
an excess. It is important to get independent financial advice
if you are thinking about taking out an equity release plan or
loan.
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Help the Aged - Gifted Housing:
If you own your home and are thinking about leaving
your estate to a charity, you could consider the Help the Aged
Gifted Housing service. In return for donating your property to
Help the Aged, the Charity takes responsibility for repairs and
maintenance, property insurance, Council Tax and water rates;
provides a community alarm; and helps with gardening costs. You
just pay your fuel and telephone bills and contents insurance.
The Gifted Housing team can also help with arranging and paying
for care.
For more information write to:
Help the Aged
Gifted Housing Office
37 St Kilda's Road
Oldfield
Park Bath BA2 3QL
Tel: 01225 447800
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Help and advice on repairs and improvements:
Home improvement agencies (HIAs) provide older homeowners
and private tenants with help and advice on repairs, improvements
and adaptations. Often called Care and Repair or Staying Put agencies,
they are non-profit making, and usually run by local authorities
and housing associations. There is an HIA in most areas.
If there is an agency in your area that can help
you, someone will visit you to discuss your housing problems and
will then help to organise whatever work is needed. They will
also help to sort out the financial side of things. Contact one
of the following groups to find out if there is a home improvement
agency in your area:
Scotland - Care and Repair Forum Scotland on 0141
221 9879
You can contact Help the Aged at: Causewayside House
160 Causewayside Edinburgh EH19 1PR Telephone: 0845 833 0200 Email:
enquiries@ageconcernandhelptheagedscotland.org.uk
(Apologies to AGEUK for any misquotes: Mae Stewart)
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