§ Mr. WrayTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister what measures are in place to ensure that families with visually impaired children have the same priority as other disabled children when allocating housing; what housing improvement schemes are available for poor parents with visually impaired children; and what proposals he has to widen the availability of these schemes. [87363]
§ Mr. McNultyIn England, housing authorities must ensure that their allocation scheme is framed so as to give reasonable preference to certain categories of persons. The categories are set out in s167 (2) of the Housing Act 1996 and include households consisting of or including someone with a particular need for settled accommodation on medical or welfare grounds, and families with dependent children. Medical grounds will include a visual impairment where it is serious enough to constitute a disability and where a settled home is required to ensure that the particular needs of the visually impaired person are met. A young person with a visual impairment is also more likely to continue to be considered as a "dependent child" for a longer period.
In England, a family with a visually impaired child has a mandatory right to apply for a disabled facilities grant (DFG) which is intended to help with any necessary adaptations to the home. The grant system is administered through local housing authorities who are required to consult with social services to assess the particular needs of the disabled child. The mandatory grant is subject to a maximum limit of £25,000 per application and subject to a means test.
Under the Regulatory Reform (Housing Assistance) (England and Wales) Order 2002, local authorities have been given additional wide ranging powers which can be used to provide additional assistance with housing adaptations outside the statutory limits of the mandatory DFG system. These new powers can be used at the discretion of the local authority, which would need to allocate resources from its own budgets for this purpose.
Home Improvement Agencies (HIAs) enable vulnerable people to maintain their independence in their own home by helping people through the process of arranging home repairs, improvements or adaptations. Also included is the direct provision of repair and maintenance services, preventative initiatives and providing advice on accessing appropriate finance.
In recognition of the important role HIAs play in supporting independent living, Government recently announced additional funding to assist HIAs to deliver housing and health objectives. In addition to the £8.5 million currently invested, ODPM are investing an extra £5.2 million in the sector, and the Department of Health is making £9.5 million available through local authorities over the next three years.
Issues in Scotland are a matter for the Scottish Executive.