Home Improvement Agencies (HIA) are non-profit organisations. They can help the elderly to improve, repair, maintain, or adapt their home. They also help to inform homeowners and tenants about grants they could get.
Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG)
The DFG allows people with disabilities to adapt their home. This enables them to improve their standard of living in their home.
- We can carry out the following types of work to your property. This can include but is not limited to:
- Facilitating access into and from your property.
- Facilitating access to the garden.
- Facilitating access to a room used as the principal family room.
- Facilitating access to and from a room used or usable for sleeping.
- Facilitating access to a room where there is a lavatory, a bath or shower (or both) and a wash hand basin.
An occupational therapist (OT) will look at your situation. Then, they will make recommendations.
You can apply for the grant if:
- you have a disability
- you are the tenant of a private landlord or housing association. The owner of the property can also apply for you
- you intend to live at the property as your main house for five years.
To qualify you will need to be means tested to find out how much of the grant you are entitled to. A means test determines if a person is eligible to receive some sort of benefit.
If the adaptation you apply for needs no major work, you will not be means tested. An example of a simple adaptation is a bathroom converted into a wet room.
The DFG can only be granted if our approved contractors carry out the works.
Adaptation grants for children and those getting a means tested benefit will not need a means test. The highest amount of the grant that can be awarded is £30,000.
The grant can be subject to a legal charge on the property. The value of your property may increase after a DFG adaptation. If this is the case, a 10-year charge will be placed on your property.
Your surveyor will be able to explain more about the charge when they visit.
You can check if you are eligible for a DFG. You can do this by calling Access Harrow on 020 8901 2680. You can also use this telephone number to organise an assessment.
Handyperson service
Harrow residents can use our handyperson service. You can use the service three times in a year for no more than six hours.
For example, a handyperson can visit you three times a year, each visit can last up to two hours. The service includes:
- basic electrics such as replacing light bulbs
- small jobs such as turning a mattress.
- small jobs such as cutting grass and hedges.
To qualify for the service, you must be:
- disabled or over 60 and receiving a means tested benefit
- without regular help from family or friends
- unable to finance the work yourself
- a homeowner, or a person in rented/leased accommodation. You must be responsible for the upkeep of your living area.
If you have a partner or family member at the property, they must not be in paid work.
Check your eligibility for the service by calling Access Harrow on 020 8901 2680. You can also use this telephone number to organise an assessment.
Staying Put Home Improvement Service (SPHIS)
The SPHIS provides help to people over 60 and the disabled. It helps with home adaptations.
A caseworker and surveyor from the agency will visit your home and:
- guide you before the adaptation work begins
- prepare drawings and specifications of the work
- provide estimates from reliable contractors
- tell you about any unclaimed benefit that may be available
- help you complete grant application forms.
Check your eligibility for the grant by calling Access Harrow on 020 8901 2680. You can also use this telephone number to organise an assessment.