Three useful resources for local authorities interested in expanding financial support for home improvements
The Centre of Ageing Better have published three reports with Foundations to better understand how local authorities are financially supporting individuals to make changes to their home despite an extremely challenging context for public budgets.
Foundations, the national body for Disabled Facilities Grants and Home Improvement Agencies in England, collaborated with five local authorities across England, each with varying budgets, governance structures and demographics, and the research demonstrates local authorities’ range of contexts and challenges.
The three reports produced are:
- Finding funds, fixing homes: local authority approaches to paying for home improvements (opens new window), which outlines key research findings and underscores considerations for local authorities and national government in developing new financial offerings or services.
- Developing a local loan offer: insights for local authorities considering adapting or introducing a local loan scheme (opens new window), which specifically focuses on loans, offering reflections for authorities considering adapting or introducing home improvement loan schemes based on analysis of case study areas.
- Financing Home Improvements: Local Authority Case Studies (opens new window), which showcases various finance models supporting home modifications, including discretionary grants, in-house loans, externally administered loans (e.g. by not-for-profit lenders), area renewal schemes, and support for those capable of payment.