Presented by Bill Weston, Walsall Home Improvement Service

1. Delivering Disabled Facility
Grants (DFGs) More Efficiently
Foundations 5 May 2017
Bill Weston

2. www.walsall.gov.uk
Council Responsibility
Statutory duty under Housing legislation to
consider DFG applications against:
• Necessary
• Appropriate
• Reasonable and
• Practicable
Council approved criteria for need.
Also duty to consider DFG help as part of
‘well being’ under the Care Act.
DFG funding now via the Better Care Fund.

3. www.walsall.gov.uk
Key issues for many councils – Demand.
New / expanding sources:
Demographic changes: 11% increase in over
60s for Walsall 2017 to 2023
Local health indicators
Helping people stay in their homes
Supporting increased independence
Societal changes
Know your demand!

4. www.walsall.gov.uk
A Councils Responsibility
Statutory Maximum £30,000
Delivering best practice to provide:
Minor works assistance (we provide up to
£1.5K)
Top-ups in exceptional cases
Advice and assistance – enable self-help
Handyperson scheme help
Simplified Forms – less complicated to
applyDirect link with Palliative OTs

5. www.walsall.gov.uk
Owners consent
The council cannot approve a DFG where an
owner doesn’t consent to the works.
Housing Associations often have their own
policies about what they will and won’t
consent to.
Faster consent secured from partners when
they can see what the scheme is (simple CAD
drawings provided with specification).

6. www.walsall.gov.uk
What we and our partners have done
Streamlined the processes
Cut capital costs of schemes
Secured partners support – Housing
Associations etc. ‘block’ consents
Follow / lead on national best practice
Provided additional adapted new-build and
‘block’ adaptations to existing homes with RPs.
Housing Associations seek to fund minor works
up to £1,500 (we add next £1,500)

7. www.walsall.gov.uk
Simple streamlined process
OT assess
Owners consent is always required.
Housing Associations ‘Block approval’ exists
for some works – stair lifts etc
Following owners consent application is
progressed
Referral made to housing
We send bespoke simple application forms out
Enquiry received

8. www.walsall.gov.uk
What we and our partners have done
Proactive promotion of the re-use of existing
adapted homes by Housing Associations
Housing Associations seek to match their own
tenants with adaptation needs with existing
adapted properties in their available stock or
the stock of others.
Provided additional adapted new-build and
‘block’ adaptations to existing homes in
partnership.

9. www.walsall.gov.uk
More residents helped
2009 2016
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
Approved
2009 2016
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
Completed
146% increase
on approvals
106% increase
on completions

10. www.walsall.gov.uk
Faster Delivery – Less waiting
88% faster to
approve
83% reduction
2008 2016
0
20
40
60
80
100
Weeks to approve
2008 2016
0
200
400
600
800
1000
Number in process of applying (application not valid)
Residents helped sooner to stay healthy, safe and well

11. www.walsall.gov.uk
Customer Service –Prudent delivery
Regional Lift procurement (Oct 12 onwards)
Multi Million £ procurement – saving up to 39%
New and updated DFG Building works
Over 40% saving on costs started in April 2013
Re-tendered in 2016 again providing major
savings on 2012 prices
Framework
More can be helped for same budget!

12. www.walsall.gov.uk
Customer Service – Prudent delivery
15.5 FTE in
2008
Approved
221
4.5 FTE in 2016
Approved
554
Smaller Team delivering significantly more!

13. www.walsall.gov.uk
More for less and recycling of funds
Average DFG Cost significantly reduced
2009
2010
2011
£12,470
£10,797
£9,229
55% cost
reduction
Land charges help recycling of funds
£1M+ land charged since April 2010
2016 £5,573

14. www.walsall.gov.uk
Thanks and Questions
westonb@walsall.gov.uk