Manchester reformed its Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) program to address long wait times and funding issues. Key changes included registered providers contributing to adaptations, co-locating staff, and having providers deliver major adaptations. These steps reduced wait times, increased funding flexibility, and improved outcomes. Ongoing challenges include managing change, technical expertise shortages, and fully utilizing increased funding.

1. DFG Champions
Roadshow
Disabled Facilities Grant – Innovation & Good Practice
in Manchester
Paul Beardmore - Director of Housing and Residential Growth
Karen Crier - Programme Lead, Health & Social Care Integration

2. Where we were
• Long waiting lists - 18 months in some cases
• End of stock transfer process - 50% of DFG spent on social
housing
• Regional Housing Pot disestablished
• All major adaptations financed through DFG with no increase
in funding
Paul Beardmore - Director of Housing and Residential Growth
Karen Crier - Programme Lead, Health & Social Care Integration
Slide 2

3. Initial Actions
• Registered Providers (RP) agreed to contribute 40% towards
major adaptations in their tenants’ property
• Framework contract introduced, open and transparent
• Specification and processes reviewed/streamlined
• Co-location and integration of key staff consisting of
occupational therapists, unqualified competent assessment
officers, technical officers, electrical & lift surveyors, DFG
officers and community equipment store
Paul Beardmore - Director of Housing and Residential Growth
Karen Crier - Programme Lead, Health & Social Care Integration
Slide 3

4. New Service Model
• RPs suggest they can deliver major adaptations cheaper and faster
• Three Lead RPs and ALMO to deliver across the city for all social
rented housing
• Manchester’s Service for Independent Living (MSIL) continue to
deliver private sector and all Mechanical & Electrical adaptations
• New SLA, Reporting and Financial systems agreed
• Joint working between Adult Social care and Strategic Housing to
constantly challenge and improve process/performance
• Executive Board of members from Adult Social Care, Strategic
Housing, Registered Providers and Health established
Paul Beardmore - Director of Housing and Residential Growth
Karen Crier - Programme Lead, Health & Social Care Integration
Slide 4

5. Next Big Change – Funding Flexibilities
• The DFG increased from £2.9m in 2015~16 to
£6.3m in 2017~18 in Manchester
• Opportunity to be innovative and also utilise
increased funding to maximise the number of
vulnerable individuals able to remain independent,
safe and well in own home
Paul Beardmore - Director of Housing and Residential Growth
Karen Crier - Programme Lead, Health & Social Care Integration
Slide 5

6. Making the most of the opportunities
• Publicising the service
• Abolition of means test for lower value grants and social housing
tenants
• Using holistic approach to ensure residents are safe, secure and
independent (e.g. emergency heating grants, including heating on
Assessment of Need etc)
• Upper grant limit increased to £50K
• Use of DFG to adapt temporary accommodation to support
disabled homeless
• Use of Registered Provider income to expand Housing and Care
Independent Living Advice and appoint fixed term Housing
Options for Older People workers (HOOP)
Slide 6Paul Beardmore - Director of Housing and Residential Growth
Karen Crier - Programme Lead, Health & Social Care Integration

7. Making the Most of the Opportunities
continued
Slide 7Paul Beardmore - Director of Housing and Residential Growth
Karen Crier - Programme Lead, Health & Social Care Integration
• RPs allowed to retain some of contribution to use to pay relocation costs for those
refused major adaptations to move to a more suitable property
• Use of DFG to buy non stock equipment costing £1K or over, published in RRO.
• Increase of 2% in technical fees charged to fund additional capacity
• Adapted Housing Team formed as part of Manchester Move to make best use of adapted
housing stock across the city
• MCC Framework that RPs are able to use for quality provision of major adaptations
• Revision of the Regulatory Reform Order (RRO) policy to enable DFG funding to be
used flexibly

8. Progress and Governance
• Revised SLA
• KPI’s and uniformity of documentation across Stakeholders
– Financial forecasting
– Outputs and timescales
– Customer satisfaction
– Benchmarking/Value for money
• Regular forum for Stakeholders/Partners to meet and share
good practice, raise issues and disseminate procedures
Paul Beardmore - Director of Housing and Residential Growth
Karen Crier - Programme Lead, Health & Social Care Integration
Slide 8

9. Outcomes
• Removal of ‘bottle necks’
• Waiting times less than 3 months for majority of non
complex major adaptations
• Ramps installed in a week
• Reduction in complaints/enquiries
• Positive feedback from MCC Members
Paul Beardmore - Director of Housing and Residential Growth
Karen Crier - Programme Lead, Health & Social Care Integration
Slide 9

10. Challenges & Next Steps
• Managing significant change across all Stakeholders
• Shortage of technical expertise amongst the RPs (especially
for complex adaptations)
• Reluctance in wider RP community to continue to pay 40%
with increased Grant allocation
• Fostering good Stakeholder relationships to prevent
fragmented service delivery
• Resourcing issues in MCC to maximise use of additional DFG
allocation e.g. only 6 Occupational Therapists to cover city-
wide
Paul Beardmore - Director of Housing and Residential Growth
Karen Crier - Programme Lead, Health & Social Care Integration
Slide 10

11. Questions?
Paul Beardmore - Director of Housing and Residential Growth
Karen Crier - Programme Lead, Health & Social Care Integration
Slide 11