Decision Details

To agree minor amendments to the grant policy to clarify eligibility and repayment conditions.

In accordance with the authority delegated to me by Cabinet and as recommended in the report Cabinet received on 6 October 2020 (recommendation 7)

The Regulatory Reform (Housing Assistance) (England and Wales) Order 2002 (RRO) provides a framework for local authorities to adopt discretionary policies to deliver agile and effective disabled adaptations.

A new policy was adopted in November 2020 and has been operating successfully however, there is a minor error in the appendix to the report that identifies that Supplementary grants are not subject to repayment provisions if the property is sold within 10 years. This condition needs to be applied or there would be a prejudicial repayment situation for those only applying for a mandatory grant.

There is also a minor change needed to the assessment of low income under the Minor Works Grant. To be consistent with Government definitions for the Green Homes Fund; which these grants can be used to top up, low income should be defined as -

• households having a combined household annual income of no more than £30,000 gross, before housing costs and where benefits are counted towards this figure, or
• be in receipt of a means tested benefit or Council Tax Reduction
• ·or have a combined household income of no more than £15,000 after deducting housing costs (rent, mortgage, council tax).

The final amendment is to correct the repayment term in the Empty Homes grant which is 20 years not 15 years.