Pilot repair scheme for Carmarthenshire
A pilot scheme is being set up to provide older people in Carmarthenshire with help to keep their homes in good repair.
This month’s meeting of the full county council has approved a two year pilot for 2009/10 - 2011/12 involving a handy person scheme in partnership with Care and Repair Carmarthenshire.
The council agreed to vary the Private Sector Housing Renewal Policy to provide financial assistance to elderly applicants on low incomes for critical repairs within their homes and to provide £60,000 private sector capital funding to Care and Repair Carmarthenshire for 2009/10 and 2010/11 to administer assistance, set up and run a handy person service.
The aim of the project is to prevent older people’s homes falling into disrepair; to improve the suitability and safety of the housing stock to enable older people to continue living as independently as possible in their homes and their communities for as long as possible. By providing timely, good quality repairs it will reduce the likelihood of health problems and accidents.
Handy person schemes/Home Repair Schemes are used by a number of local authorities in conjunction with Care and Repair Agencies to support older and vulnerable people to undertake minor repairs to their homes.
Home Improvement Manager Jonathan Willis said: “In terms of developing our approach to supporting older people in owner occupied housing, the proposal is to instigate a pilot home maintenance scheme and handy person scheme in conjunction with Care and Repair. Feedback from service users and other authorities who operate schemes indicate that this is a needed and sought after service.
“The last private sector stock condition survey indicated a third of the poor housing was occupied by over the over 65s identified. The view is that by providing timely, good quality repairs it will reduce the likelihood of health problems and accidents. A rapidly executed repair can often prevent the development of larger, more expensive problems in the future.”
The scheme is targeted at older people living in the private sector and will apply countywide. Suitable cases would be identified through the Care and Repair Caseworker’s and Home Improvement Officers routine work. Referrals would be accepted from Social Care, NHS Trusts, GPs and other health professionals. An example of the work will involve minor repairs to doors, windows, roofs, minor electrical and plumbing work.
The proposal involves a combination of the use of a small number of external contractors and the employment of a handyperson to deliver these types of home improvement. The handy person would be employed by Care and Repair.
It is proposed that some direct financial assistance be made available to applicants on means tested benefit subject to availability. The maximum assistance available would be £200 per property per financial year and would be targeted at older people on particularly low incomes.
Applicants would be allowed to ‘top up’ the assistance through their own funds. The handy person service can be accessed to all older people subject to demand at a rate of £15 an hour labour charge, and materials provided at cost.
This month’s meeting of the full county council has approved a two year pilot for 2009/10 - 2011/12 involving a handy person scheme in partnership with Care and Repair Carmarthenshire.
The council agreed to vary the Private Sector Housing Renewal Policy to provide financial assistance to elderly applicants on low incomes for critical repairs within their homes and to provide £60,000 private sector capital funding to Care and Repair Carmarthenshire for 2009/10 and 2010/11 to administer assistance, set up and run a handy person service.
The aim of the project is to prevent older people’s homes falling into disrepair; to improve the suitability and safety of the housing stock to enable older people to continue living as independently as possible in their homes and their communities for as long as possible. By providing timely, good quality repairs it will reduce the likelihood of health problems and accidents.
Handy person schemes/Home Repair Schemes are used by a number of local authorities in conjunction with Care and Repair Agencies to support older and vulnerable people to undertake minor repairs to their homes.
Home Improvement Manager Jonathan Willis said: “In terms of developing our approach to supporting older people in owner occupied housing, the proposal is to instigate a pilot home maintenance scheme and handy person scheme in conjunction with Care and Repair. Feedback from service users and other authorities who operate schemes indicate that this is a needed and sought after service.
“The last private sector stock condition survey indicated a third of the poor housing was occupied by over the over 65s identified. The view is that by providing timely, good quality repairs it will reduce the likelihood of health problems and accidents. A rapidly executed repair can often prevent the development of larger, more expensive problems in the future.”
The scheme is targeted at older people living in the private sector and will apply countywide. Suitable cases would be identified through the Care and Repair Caseworker’s and Home Improvement Officers routine work. Referrals would be accepted from Social Care, NHS Trusts, GPs and other health professionals. An example of the work will involve minor repairs to doors, windows, roofs, minor electrical and plumbing work.
The proposal involves a combination of the use of a small number of external contractors and the employment of a handyperson to deliver these types of home improvement. The handy person would be employed by Care and Repair.
It is proposed that some direct financial assistance be made available to applicants on means tested benefit subject to availability. The maximum assistance available would be £200 per property per financial year and would be targeted at older people on particularly low incomes.
Applicants would be allowed to ‘top up’ the assistance through their own funds. The handy person service can be accessed to all older people subject to demand at a rate of £15 an hour labour charge, and materials provided at cost.
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