RBC calls on Deputy Prime Minister to end postcode lottery for Disabled Facilities Grants
Last updated: 26/11/2024
Rushcliffe Borough Council (RBC) has called on the Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner MP to end the postcode lottery of Disabled Facilities Grants (DFGs) provision and stop the unfair distribution of the funding.
The Council’s Portfolio Holder for Planning and Housing Cllr Roger Upton has written to her as the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government.
It outlines the Council’s ongoing concerns on the inequitable way funds are allocated which are critical for disabled individuals to have access to essential modifications in their homes that can aid mobility around their home and improve their quality of life.
The concerns were previously outlined in a letter lobbying previous Ministers on the issue of a fairer funding formula highlighting the lack of resources for DFGs that can sometimes create delays in patients returning home from hospital.
Cllr Upton said in the letter: “DFGs are vital resources that facilitate necessary adaptations, enabling individuals with disabilities to live safely and independently in their own homes.
“However, we have observed significant disparities in funding across different local authorities due to this outdated national formula which has resulted in varying levels of support for our disabled community members.
“This creates an imbalanced landscape where individuals in less-funded areas struggle to access necessary adaptations, potentially infringing on their rights to independence and well-being.
“The most recent guidance fails to address the outdated distribution formula introduced in 2011 leading to a post code lottery in Nottinghamshire due to indicators such as age profile, tenure and client needs.
“Over the last two years, RBC has experienced significantly higher demand for grant funded adaptations which has resulted in residents experiencing a waiting list of approximately 12 months that delay essential home modifications.
“Unfortunately, the current funding model does not take into account the unique needs and challenges faced leading to inequities that hinder our ability to adequately support some of the most vulnerable residents in the community.”
It follows the Council identifying an extra £200,000 of further support for DFGs for Rushcliffe residents earlier in the month with a view to approval by the Council’s Cabinet in early December.
The grants are available for many different changes to a home including installing ramps, handrails and widening doors, fitting stair lifts or floor lifts, level access showers, improving access to a garden or building an extension such as a downstairs bedroom or bathroom.
Nottinghamshire County Council have also backed the need for this situation to be reviewed along with requesting changes in the formula to calculate the grants fairly.
Cllr Upton added: “Rushcliffe’s Council’s Cabinet has had to implement a series of measures to mitigate the exceptional pressure on its DFG budget.
“This has included the difficult decision to suspend all discretionary DFG funding which is due to the limited available resources.
“The absence of discretionary funding alongside the rising costs of adaptations has led to many eligible applicants being left with a significant shortfall in funding who are then unable to proceed with essential adaptations.
“These pressures are increasingly leading to requests to the County Council as the Social Care authority to ‘top up’ necessary funding as housing authorities such as Rushcliffe do not have other budgets to supplement the allocation.
“This leads to an upward pressure on the County Council with already increasing Adult Social Care budget pressures.
“Additionally, the Council injected £500k of its own resources in 2022/23 which has supported spending levels in 2022/23 and 2023/24. We are not aware of any other local authority in Nottinghamshire having to do this.
“The vast discrepancy in funding also places an administrative burden on local authorities like ours. We must allocate more resources and time to manage these inequalities, diverting attention from delivering DFGs to eligible recipients.
“We would welcome the opportunity to discuss this matter further and explore potential solutions together.”