Housing options for older people and people with disabilities

Housing advice and options for older and disabled people

How to get an assessment of your needs

The Occupational Therapy team can help with an assessment of a person’s needs.

Housing Solutions Leaflet

This leaflet is a useful tool to help people assess if their accommodation is suitable for their current and future needs.

How to get help to adapt your home

Housing association tenants:-

If you are a tenant of a housing association and you are having difficulties in your home which may be helped by some modifications or adaptations, such as a grab-rail, a ramp or a walk-in-shower, you should, in the first instance, contact an occupational therapist.  If they are in support of your request they will make recommendations to your housing association and assist you with this.

Adaptations will depend on how suitable your home is to being adapted.  In some instances any adaptations may be subject to available funding.  Your housing association will be able to give you further advice in respect to this.

Associations are also happy to assist households with special needs and identify support services to help you  live comfortably and independently in your own home.  Generally, any specific requests should be put in writing to your association.

Contact your housing associations for more information.

Private Sector accommodation:-

Argyll and Bute Council continues to target grant assistance for adaptations which have been assessed as priority for disabled people.

Grant assistance will be considered at the mandatory level for priority assessed needs for disabled people living in private sector housing. This includes extensions to provide WC and bathing facilities where no internal adaptation is feasible but exclude living accommodation extensions.

The mandatory level for grant is an automatic 80% assessment for assessed priority adaptations. However, the grant will be 100% of approved costs if the applicant or a member of their household receives

  • income support
  •  income-based jobseeker’s allowance
  •  the guarantee credit of pension credit, or
  •  income-related employment and support allowance.

All financial assistance is discretionary, i.e. the Council does not have to award assistance. Every application will be assessed fairly and in accordance with the criteria set out in the Scheme of assistance but any award of assistance will be entirely budget dependant. For more information please contact Area Teams Support Assistant on 01546 604254

How to find a new home which meets your needs

Although many people prefer to stay in their own homes if at all possible, a move to a different property may occasionally offer a solution to housing need.

There is housing specially designed for people with disabilities, support needs, or for older people.  Various different organisations can give advice on what is available.

Staying in your own home

There are various housing options available for older and disabled people. Many people prefer to stay in their own homes for as long as possible, and there are agencies that can assist people to ensure that their homes are suitable.

Care and Repair

Care and repair services help older and disabled owner-occupiers, tenants of private landlords and crofters to repair, improve and adapt their homes. They do this by helping people to decide what work is required, help to choose reliable tradesmen, obtain finance and oversee the work. Small repairs services may also be available.

For more information about Care and Repair in Argyll and Bute contact

Care and Repair, 5 Stafford Street, Oban, PA34 5NJ

Phone 01631 567780

Website: abcr.org.uk

If you need help with improving, adapting or repairing your home contact Argyll and Bute Housing Services on 01546 604254 for more information about help that might be available to you. Alternatively see our pages on Repairing and maintaining your home.

Telecare

See more information about our telecare services that can help you to live safely in your own home.

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