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Councils breaking law on adaptations
Nearly two thirds of councils are breaking the law by taking too long to adapt disabled people’s homes, research has found.
A total of 245 local authority responses to Freedom of Information requests sent by health charity Leonard Cheshire Disability found 62% of councils broke the law at least once last year by failing to fund agreed adaptations within a one year deadline.
Under the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996, once a council approves a disabled facilities grant to adapt a home, then payment should be made and the works completed within 12 months.
The report said: ‘These delays are leaving disabled people stuck sleeping in their lounge, washing at their kitchen sink or at risk of falling down the stairs and needing hospital treatment.’
A total of 44% of councils had examples of disabled people waiting more than two years for payment, and eight local authorities reported waits of over four years, the report, published yesterday, found.
The charity found that on average between 2011 and 2014, almost 2,500 disabled people were waiting every year for funding to make their homes accessible.
Leonard Cheshire Disability called for councils and central government to increase spending on disabled facilities grants to make sure eligible people receive grants within the time limit.
The charity says although demand for the grants is rising, with applications increasing by 6% since 2011, there has been a 7% cut in the grants in real terms across England and Wales since 2012.
The report said: ‘This ever-shrinking pot of money explains why councils are struggling to meet this growing demand for disabled facilities grants.’
