Agenda item

Report of the Environmental Health and Licensing Manager.

The Environmental Health and Licensing Manager presented the report setting out a revised Financial Assistance Policy under Article 4 of the Regulatory Reform (Housing Assistance) (England and Wales) Order 2002 to ensure policies were in place to maximise grant spending of the Council’s Better Care Fund Allocation. It was noted that the policy had been developed by both the County and District Councils to ensure a consistent approach across Devon.

The report set out the impact of increased Government Funding for Disabled Facilities Grants, administered through the Better Care Fund. The Council was now able to broaden its ability to support those disabled persons who fell out of the mandatory Disabled Facilities Grant system by providing financial assistance to undertake preventive measures to reduce hospital admissions and reduce delayed hospital discharges and by working in collaboration with health services to provide funding to remove housing related obstacles preventing discharge.

Better Care Fund money could be used  to assist disabled residents to remain in their own homes through supporting the provision of adaptations, safeguard the health and well-being of vulnerable residents by removing unnecessary hazards in the home, provide adaptations and assist vulnerable people to afford to heat their homes through appropriate energy efficiency and heating measures.

The Environmental Health and Licensing Manager responded as follows to Members’ queries:-

·         the Government had changed the funding mechanisms in an attempt to bring health and social care together in an integrated way with a key aspect being to ensure, as far as possible, that vulnerable individuals could remain safe and healthy in their homes thus reducing the burden on social services and the NHS;

·         the funding was primarily for Disabled Facilities Grants but could be used flexibly to meet the Better Care Fund objectives. The 2017/18 allocation for the City Council was £660,128 with the 2018/19 allocation likely to be around £800,000 which included the underspend money from the previous year;

·         the Accessible Homes Grant enabled an enhanced offer in addition to the Mandatory Disabled Facilities Grant. For example,topping up a mandatory grant where the cost of the work exceeded £30,000 - possibly up to £50,000 and funding works beyond the scope of a Disabled Facilities Grant to make a property safe for the disabled occupant; and

·  individuals were largely identified from home visits by adult and children social care staff. The City Council also identified those requiring assistance, for example, many mobile homes were of a poor standard and 25% had received grants for insulation and boiler replacement. Contributions were also being made in respect of properties found to be in a poor/squalid condition.   

People - Scrutiny Committee noted and supported the report and recommended Executive to:-

(1)        approve the proposed Financial Assistance Policy in order to ensure increased funding provided via the Better Care Fund would be delivered to those who had not previously been able to obtain financial assistance;

(2)        recommend Council to approve the proposedFinancial Assistance Policy in order to ensure increased funding provided via the Better Care Fund would be delivered to those who had not previously been able to obtain financial assistance; and

(3)        request Executive to recommend that Council adopt the Financial Assistance Policy.