Allocation of accommodation: Guidance for local housing authorities in England. This has replaced all previous guidance and, aside from advising that disabled people with access needs should be afforded “reasonable preference” when allocating social housing, it is silent on this issue.
6
The Labour Government’s interdepartmental review of DFGs
The Labour Government announced a fundamental review of the administration of the DFG system in December 2004: The Government recognises that disabled people need to continue to live independently and in a place of their own. This is why resources through the Disabled Facilities Grant has continued to increase to ensure they can make essential adaptations to their homes, such as ramps, lifts and level access showers. Alongside this boost to funding, the Government is undertaking a fundamental review of how the DFG programme is administered. A working party including officers from the ODPM, Department of Health and the Department of Education and Skills together with key stakeholders involved in delivering housing adaptations will report back in May 2005 with recommendations to improve the fairness and efficient delivery of the programme. 42
As noted in section 2.1 of this note, the review published its findings in October 2005. 43 The Government acted quickly to implement the removal of the means test in respect of DFG applications from families in England with a disabled child. Subsequently, in January 2007 CLG published a consultation paper, Disabled Facilities Grant Programme: The Government’s proposals to improve programme delivery. This paper provided a response to the recommendations of the 2005 review and contained proposals to improve the immediate provision and impact of DFGs, as well as longer term proposals. The problems and challenges facing the DFG programme were identified as: •
a very high and increasing demand for the grant. This is because of: the mandatory nature of the grant entitlement combined with a rapidly increasing age profile of the population. Over 70 per cent of DFG grants go to people aged over 60 and it is this section of the population which is likely to grow dramatically in the future; and the increasing number of children with severe disabilities, including complex health conditions. Such cases currently account for under 10 per cent of the number of DFG applications but the average expenditure per case is higher than average. The removal of the means test for these cases will also have a significant resource effect. the existing pressure on resources within the DFG programme which has meant that, despite the increases in Government funding for the programme since 1997, this has led to long waiting lists of grant applications in some areas; the means test which is designed to channel assistance towards those most in need is poorly targeted and can be seen to treat particular groups harshly; -
•
•
42
ODPM press notice 328/2004, 27 December 2004
43
Reviewing the Disabled Facilities Grant Programme, October 2005
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