Summary of grants

The following tables provide a summary of the help provided through each of the schemes available under this policy. Full details of each scheme, how to apply, and conditions can be found in Appendix B.

All assistance provided through this policy is discretionary, except the Mandatory Disabled Facilities Grant and is therefore subject to funding.

The Policy grants discretion to make minor amendments to the eligibility criteria, level of grant or assistance and delegates that authority to the responsible Divisional Director, if it can be demonstrated that any such changes will help the Council meet its strategic housing objectives and/or Better Care Fund metrics.

Mandatory Disabled Facilities Grants (DFG)

This grant is set out within legislation and outlines the local variations that Torbay have adopted regarding the inclusion of warranty costs and local council tax reduction as a passporting benefit.

Details of the DFG
Element	Details
Eligible applicants	Anyone with a permanent disability aged 18 or over or anyone applying on behalf of someone until 19th birthday with a permanent disability.
Property tenure	All tenures
Land charge	All works over the value of £5,000 will be subject to the Statutory Land Charge for a period of 10 years from the date of completion - see more information in Appendix A.
Warranty provision	A 5-year warranty is included in the purchase cost of all lifts and wash/dry toilets.
Maximum value	£30,000 or as per the current statutory limit
Means test	Works are subject to the statutory means test as set out in legislation, which identifies that works for children and young people will not be subject to any means test for Mandatory DFG. Local Amendment to the means test: To include Local Council Tax Reduction (not single person reduction) as a passporting benefit

Discretionary Assistance linked to a Mandatory DFG Application

Any applications and award of the following forms of help need to be linked to an on-going Mandatory DFG application. No stand-alone applications for these forms of assistance will be considered.

This is discretionary grant to top up mandatory DFG to carry out works that are above the current mandatory limit of £30,000. Reducing the need of applicants to self-fund. The top up limited to £40,000.

Details of the DFG
Element	Details
Eligible applicants	Anyone eligible for Mandatory DFG
Property tenure	All tenures
Land charge	The full value of this grant awarded would be placed as a lifetime land charge from the date of completion of works. This is in addition to any Mandatory Disabled Facilities Grant land charge.
Maximum value	Up to an additional £20,000 (£50,000 in total) can be approved by the appropriate Divisional Director in consultation with the Disabled Facilities Grant Service Manager. Amounts above £20,000 (and more than £50,000 in total) are to be approved by the appropriate Divisional Director following consideration and supporting report by the Adaptations Panel.
Means test	No additional means test is applied
Eligible works	Available towards the cost of mandatory scheme - eligible building works only. Not available for equipment that is not normally provided via the DFG.
Limitations	Limited to one application in any 5-year period

Client Contribution Support (CCS)

This is a discretionary grant to support applicants who are assessed as having a means-tested contribution that is unaffordable. This will be up to a maximum of £10,000.

Funding for contributions up to the maximum award of £10,000 will be subject to the applicant being able to prove they have insufficient funds available to pay their assessed contribution (i.e., less than £10,000 in savings).

Details of the CCS
Element	Details
Eligible applicants	Anyone eligible for Mandatory DFG
Property tenure	Owner occupier
Land charge	The full value of any grant awarded placed as a lifetime land charge from the date of completion of works
Maximum value	£10,000
Means test	The mandatory DFG means test is applied
Eligible works	Mandatory DFG works
Limitations	Funding will be reviewed on an individual case basis
Assessed contribution	Funding for contributions up to the maximum award of £10,000 will be subject to the applicant being able to prove they have insufficient funds available to pay their assessed contribution (i.e., less than £10,000 in savings)

Professional Fees Grant (PFG)

To pay incurred professional fess which were necessary as part of a mandatory DFG application that was unable to proceed through no fault of the applicant or the DFG Service. To ensure applicants are not left liable for fees that might place them in financial hardship.

Details of the PFG
Element	Details
Eligible applicants	Anyone eligible for Mandatory DFG
Property tenure	All tenures
Land charge	None
Maximum value	£2,500
Means test	No additional means test
Eligible works	Fees approved by the Manager where the DFG does not proceed. Fees are paid directly to the professional providing the service.
Limitations	Fees will not be eligible for payment under this scheme unless the application cannot proceed due to circumstances beyond the control of either the applicant or the DFG Service.

Safe and Secure Grant (SSG)

A grant of up to £5,000 for emergency works, which can be issued quickly to fix an urgent situation that has arisen through adaptation being undertaken.

Details of the PFG
Element	Details
Eligible applicants	Residents who have been deemed eligible and are applying for a mandatory DFG. Owner-occupiers who have owned and lived in the property for at least 5 years before the application.
Property tenure	Owner-occupiers
Land charge	The full value of any grant awarded would be placed as a lifetime land charge from the date of completion of works.
Maximum value	£5,000
Means test	Applicants must receive a DFG ‘passporting’ benefit - see Appendix B4.
Eligible works	Repair works that are required to support or facilitate the completion of works under a Mandatory DFG.
Limitations	Limited to one application in any 5-year period

Help to Move Grant (HMG)

Where it is not possible, necessary, appropriate, practical, or reasonable to adapt someone’s current home, a grant of up to £5,000 can be obtained to help with the costs of relocating to a more suitable property.

Details of the HMG
Element	Details
Eligible applicants	Anyone eligible for Mandatory DFG. Any applications for this grant will be supported by a social care occupational therapist and options regarding adaptations to the current home will already have been explored.
Property tenure	All tenures
Land charge	None
Maximum value	£5,000
Means test	No additional means test to the Mandatory DFG
Eligible works	The specific eligible relocation expenses are: estate agent fees solicitor costs survey costs stamp duty removal expenses disconnection/reconnection of appliances occupational therapy assessment costs for assessing properties
Limitations	Applicants must be moving from a property which is their main residence and is within the Torbay Council area to a property which will be their main residence. Assistance will not be given towards the purchase price of a property. Applications must be supported by a Social Care Occupational Therapist who must confirm that the new property will meet the needs of the disabled person or be suitable for adaptation at a reasonable cost. If the move is aborted at the fault or choice of the applicant, costs will not be paid.