Decision details

The Cabinet Member with the Adults Portfolio introduced the report of the Acting Director Children and Adults (previously circulated) requesting that consideration be given to the updated Disabled Facilities Grant Policy and Regulatory Reform Order Policy 2020/23 (both also previously circulated); advising of the capital resources available for Disabled Facilities Grants (DFG’s); and requesting that consideration be given to releasing those resources.

The submitted report stated that the DFG was a means tested statutory grant provided by the Government to undertake adaptations to homes for disabled adults or children to enable them to live independently in their own homes; DFG’s were governed by housing legislation and therefore had set guidance and eligibility criteria which governed how funding could be allocated; historically those conditions had restricted the way in which funding could be released which resulted in year on year underspends on the budget; the Government had increased the DFG grant paid to local authorities nationally from £220m in 2016/17 to an estimated £500m in 2019/20; in February 2020 an additional £505m was made available for the DFG; and that the increase in allocated Government funding together with carry forward amounts had resulted in a DFG budget for 2020/21 of approximately £2.5M.

It was reported that the Regulatory Reform (Housing Assistance) Order gave local authorities permission to broaden the scope of how DFG’s were used to support housing renewal and assist with improving housing conditions and that the proposed updated Darlington DFG policy had been developed in a way which would enable the Council to make use of the powers provided under the Regulatory Reform (Housing Assistance) Order and use the funding in an appropriate way, to the benefit of residents.

In welcoming the report and the greater flexibility that it gave to keep people in their own homes, reference was made, at the meeting, to the possibility of re-assessing those people who had previously been refused grants and requesting that consideration be given to providing additional drop kerbing, to support people when leaving their home.  The Cabinet Member with the Adults Portfolio and the Acting Director of Children and Adults responded thereon.

RECOMMENDED – (a) That the Disabled Facilities Grant Policy (2020/23) and the associated Regulatory Reform (Housing Assistance) Order (2002), both as appended to the submitted report, be approved.

(b)  That the capital funds, as detailed in the submitted report, be released, and be utilised in accordance with the Darlington Borough Council Disabled Facilities Grant Policy (2020/23) and the associated Regulatory Reform (Housing Assistance) Order (2002), both as appended to the submitted report.

REASONS -(a)  To enable the adaptations for those individuals who are eligible to receive a Disabled Facilities Grant for 2020/23 to proceed.

(b)  The updated Disabled Facilities Grant Policy and Regulatory Reform Order Policy 2020/23, will allow the Council to create an environment of greater innovation and flexibility to maximise the benefit of DFG funding.