Frequently Asked Questions about Housing Grants

UPDATE - 7 April 2003 - The Assembly for Wales has decided that every local authority in Wales must consider their policy for housing grants and having adopted a policy, they must publish it before July 2003. It is likely therefore, that the following advice will be superseded and we recommend that you contact us to find out how the new policies affect your chances of getting a grant to repair your home.

What is my council’s policy on housing grants? The only way to find out is by asking them for a copy of their policy.

My home is only 11 years old, will it qualify for grant? Yes, if it is 10 years old or over.

I have sent a letter to my council asking for a grant, is that an application? No. Only when you have completed a very long and complicated form and provided all the additional details required will your application be accepted.

How long will I have to wait for the grant? This depends on where you live, your council’s policy, their waiting list, your priority category, how much money they have allocated for grants and how efficient they are in processing applications. This means that you may have to wait many years for your grant. However, once you have completed a full application, your council only has 6 months within which to approve or refuse it.

Must I own my home? No, tenants with a repairing obligation can apply for grants.

I’m buying a house now and it needs repairs doing to it. Can I apply now and get a grant? Yes, you simply fill in the Certificate of Owner Occupation form, which asks if you "intend" to acquire an owners interest in the property. The council however will only approve your application once you own the property.

How much will I have to pay towards the cost of the works? This depends on your financial status. Generally speaking the more income you have, the less grant you will get. Savings up to £6,000 are not taken into account, but anything over £6,000 is.

I get a pension of £75 per week and have savings of £17,500. I have been told that the work to my property will cost £17,500. Can I get a grant? Almost certainly, YES. Your council uses a standard formula to assess applicant’s contributions. Your pension, other income (if any) plus an amount calculated on your savings, is set against an arbitrary figure which your government says you need to live on each week. From your savings the first £6,000 is deducted, leaving £11,500 which is divided by 250 to give a figure of £46. That figure is added to your £75 pension, which if you have no other income gives you a hypothetical income of £121 per week. If your combined income of £121 per week exceeds the government’s arbitrary allowance, the amount over is used to calculate your contribution. If your combined income is less than the allowance, you will not have a contribution to make.

I am on benefit, can I have a grant? Yes, depending on the type of benefit you receive, you will almost certainly have little or no contribution to make.

I am on a low income and have 3 children, can I get a grant? Yes, the government’s formula would account for the fact that you have children and give you a higher living allowance figure, which is set against your income. The difference between those is then used to calculate your contribution which could possibly be NIL.

I am self employed, can I get a grant? Yes, your income will be assessed using returns from your accountant.

I am a pensioner and to avoid stress and worry, would not want to have all the works done at the same time. Can I get a grant? Yes, you can opt for less work costing up to £5000. You can make successive applications. For example; the first grant may be for new windows, the second grant may be for central heating.

That's a good point, can I have central heating installed? Yes and you can get a grant for insulating your home.

I am disabled, are there special grants for someone in my position? Yes there are and you will almost certainly receive priority for those works necessary to adapt your property.

I am a tenant and registered disabled, can I have a grant? Yes and unlike other tenants, you do not need to have a repairing obligation in your tenancy agreement.

Will I have to repay the grant if I sell the property? If you sell within 5 years then your council can demand that you repay the grant in full or a lesser amount plus interest. There are some circumstances in which repayment is not demanded. Ask your council for full details of the repayment part of the regulations and their policy (before you accept the grant).

I am 17 years of age and buying a house which needs repairs, can I have a grant? No. You can buy cigarettes, join the army, be a pain to your parents, be a burden on society and be a hard working model citizen but you can’t have a grant. See your local MP and tell her/him to change the regulations because you will be 18 soon.

I have started to do some work to the property, can I have a grant? Yes, if your application is approved, but the work you have already done will not be grant aided. YOU ARE STRONGLY ADVISED NOT TO START ANY WORK BEFORE OBTAINING APPROVAL FROM YOUR COUNCIL.

What if the cost of the work exceeds the maximum grant allowed by my council? Generally speaking your council has discretion to approve works costing more than the maximum, if those works are necessary to make your property fit and you have no means of paying for that extra work. Some councils have a problem understanding what discretion means. It is maladministration for your council to have a policy which fetters any discretion. It is quite simply that each application must be considered on its merits and approved if it is reasonable in all the circumstances.

How much does Best Value UK Ltd charge, acting as my agent, for their services and will I have to pay? Our fees are treated in exactly the same way as works to your property. They are in fact added to the cost of the works, with VAT on top. If your contribution towards the work, fees and VAT is NIL, then you don’t pay anything. If you have to contribute then your contribution is the same regardless of our fee. For example; your contribution has been calculated using your income and the governments formula, at £2,750. The cost of works are estimated at £8,000, plus VAT £1,400, plus fees £940 (inc VAT) making a total of £10,340. The grant is therefore £10,340 minus your contribution of £2,750, which is £7,590.

Do I have to appoint an agent to act on my behalf when applying for grant? No, you can act as your own agent but you can not charge a fee. You can appoint anyone to act as your agent, however we would recommend that you appoint someone who is independent of the Council, professionally qualified, experienced and covered by Professional Indemnity Insurance, for example a Surveyor or Architect.

I’ve heard that my neighbour has had a grant of £19,750 to repair his home, why can’t I get a grant? Don’t get annoyed - get a grant. If you have not applied, there is no point in complaining. The matter is in your hands.

DON'T DELAY - APPLY FOR A GRANT TODAY - WE CAN HELP!
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