§ Mr. StottTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what steps his Department and/or the Northern Ireland Executive have taken to encourage and assist elderly home owners to take up repair/improvement grants to bring their homes up to acceptable standards;
(2) which voluntary organisations have been providing services on an agency basis to the Housing Executive, in encouraging and assisting elderly home owners to take up repair/improvement grants to bring their homes up to acceptable standards; how long such arrangements have been in operation; and in which areas of Northern Ireland they have operated.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyThese matters fall within the day-to-day administration of the renovation grants scheme by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive. I understand that it is estimated that 40 per cent. of applicants for repair grants are elderly and in 1989 the Northern Ireland Housing Executive's priority groups for receipt of such grants was extended to include the elderly. There is a disproportionately lower number of improvement grant applications from the elderly and this reflects not only the financial difficulties facing them but the disruption caused by improvement work.
The Northern Ireland Housing Executive provides advice and guidance via its network of local grants offices throughout the Province to elderly home-owners wishing to take up repair and improvement grants to bring their homes up to acceptable standards. In response to the level of demand the executive also provides a dedicated home improvements for the elderly service in three of its six regions (Belfast, south-east and north-east) through which assistance is provided at each stage in the grants process from preliminary inspection through to completion. A similar type of service is also available to rural dwellers in the executive's west region.
Voluntary organisations continue to play a vital role in providing assistance to elderly and disabled home owners. The Northern Ireland Housing Executive is currently finalising an agreement with Fold Housing Trust for a "Care and Repair" agency service which is intended to provide a comprehensive service of advice and assistance to the elderly, disabled and those in financial hardship. Within the next 18 months this service is expected to be made available throughout the Province and initial estimates are for an annual turnover of around 400 cases of which approximately 200 would be grant-aided.
Until now voluntary organisations have provided a home improvements for the elderly service on an agency basis in various parts of the Province as follows:
- (i) from 1982 Fold Housing Trust has provided a service in the south-east and north-east regions;
- (ii) from 1982 to 1987 the Northern Ireland Federation of Housing Associations provided a service in the Belfast area; and
- (iii) from January 1988 Shelter (NI) has provided a service in the Strabane and Londonderry areas.