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Housing Grants and Loans

If your home is in need of repair or improvement or if you require adaptations to suit your particular needs, you may be able to get a grant to help you meet the cost of the necessary work. If you apply for any grant you will be asked to complete what is known as a test of financial resources (means test), which is an assessment of how much you are able to pay towards the cost of the works. The following grants are currently available. Please note that this is only a summary of the assistance scheme and it does not provide details of all the conditions and eligibility criteria that apply. In addition, the funds available may limit availability. A summary of the Council's Assistance Policy can be downloaded via the link on the right of this page.

Mandatory Disabled Facilities Grant

This grant is available to help provide adaptations for disabled people which enable them to stay in their own homes. Eligible works may include providing stair-lifts, appropriate toilet, bath or shower facilities, ground floor bedrooms, ramps, door widening and kitchen alterations.  These grants are available to home owners, private tenants and housing association tenants. If you think you may need any such adaptation you should contact the Social and Health Care Directorate of Oxfordshire County Council, telephone 0845 0507666.

You will need to speak to an occupational therapist who will arrange to assess your needs and may make a referral to the Council. You can then be considered for a Disabled Facilities Grant. Alternatively you may contact the occupational therapy service through your GP.

Home Assistance Grant

This grant may be available to assist with carrying out works to ensure your home meets the Decent Homes Standard. It is available to home owners and private tenants who have a duty to carry out the works in question and who are over 60 years of age. Up to £4,000 may be available, subject to a means test.

How do I apply for a grant?

You may wish to contact us before to confirm whether you are eligible. The items listed below are the likely minimum that will be required to make a valid grant application.

• Completed application form
• Two estimates for the works required
• Proof of ownership of the property or, for a tenant's application, written permission from the landlord to carry out the works
• An inspection of the property that has been carried out by a Council officer to assess works that are eligible
• Where receiving a means tested benefit, confirmation of receipt of that benefit

If you would like help with making a grant application you can contact the West Oxfordshire Home Improvement Agency details of which are given below.

Loans

If the cost of works is greater than the grant limits quoted above then it may be possible for the Council to arrange an affordable loan, charged against your property.

If you have any general queries on the above matters please contact us on 01993 861060 or use the online service on the right of this page.

West Oxfordshire Home Improvement Agency

If you feel you need help with making an application you can contact our Home Improvement Agency. The Agency helps eligible private owner occupiers and tenants carry out repairs or adaptations to their property.  The Agency will:

• Help complete application forms
• Draw up a specification of works required to the property
• Organise arranging estimates from at least two contractors
• Oversee the works while they are being carried out

For more information contact the Agency on 01993 709524.

Small Repairs

Our Home Improvement Agency also offers a Small Repairs Service for carrying out small repairs such as replacing tap washers or broken glass, fitting door and window locks, minor electrical work, installing smoke detectors, fitting keysafes or repairing woodwork.  They cannot however carry out large scale decorating or gardening work, gas work or main electrical work.

The service is available to homeowners and private tenants who live in West Oxfordshire and who are over 70, or over 60 and on benefits

For more information contact the Agency on 01993 709788.

Other Assistance

Help the Aged is a charity providing advice and support on issues that affect older people, including pensions, benefits, tax, housing choices, healthy aging and home safety.

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