Cost of Living

Eligibility

Grants are available to owner occupiers only with certain long term health conditions exacerbated by the cold and who are living in fuel poverty. For the purposes of the programme, the eligible health conditions are:

• Atrial fibrillation/heart flutter
• Angina/coronary heart disease
• Heart Failure
• Peripheral arterial disease (PAD)
• Hypertension/high blood pressure
• Osteoporosis/brittle bones
• Transient Ischaemic Attack (TIA)/mini stroke
• Asthma
• COPD
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Diabetes
• Cancer.

Applicants must be in receipt of a means tested benefit or on a low household income of less than £21,000 (excluding housing costs, PIP/DLA and attendance allowance) with less than £16,000 in household savings. Applicants will need to have lived in the property as their main residence for a minimum of 1 year prior to application.

Eligible Work

Works will be specified and scheduled by the council following a property assessment and can include replacement heating systems including boilers, radiators and associated pipework. In addition, works can include heating system repairs where appropriate and works to facilitate the grant such as providing a gas connection, enlarging the loft hatch etc. Works will be in addition to the provision of affordable warmth advice to the householder.

Financial

Arrangements

A grant maximum of £6,000 will apply. The council will appoint a contractor via a framework agreement. Evidence of income/savings will be required prior to approval e.g. previous bank statements.

Application

Applications are made to the Private Sector Housing Service at Mansfield District Council. Applications for retrospective works will not be accepted.

Payment

The council will make payment direct to the contractor on satisfactory completion of the works and production of invoices. Assistance includes the contractor’s standard warranty period only and does not include any ongoing repairs, servicing or maintenance costs; these are the responsibility of the applicant.

Eligibility

Grants are available to owner occupiers only who are living in fuel poverty which is determined by the approved contractor carrying out the work. Eligibility criteria includes household income of less than £1750 a month (after discounting mortgage payments), with less than £16,000 in household savings.

Eligible Work

External wall insulation.

Financial

Arrangements

The council will appoint a contractor via a framework agreement. Evidence of income/savings will be required prior to approval e.g. previous bank statements. Cost of grant will be total amount required to complete the EWI

Application

Applications are made to the Private Sector Housing Service at Mansfield District Council. Applications for retrospective works will not be accepted.

Payment

The council will make payment direct to the contractor on satisfactory completion of the works and production of invoices. Assistance includes the contractor’s standard warranty period only and does not include any ongoing repairs, servicing or maintenance costs; these are the responsibility of the applicant.

Eligibility

Grants will be available to owner occupiers only being supported by the Healthy Homes Hub. If applicants are in receipt of a means tested benefit they will not be required to contribute to the grant. If applicants do not receive means tested benefits they will be subject to a test of resources in order to calculate their contribution towards the grant. The applicant must have lived in the property for at least 2 years prior to approval.

Eligible Work

Works will be determined by the council using the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) during a whole property assessment. A schedule of works will be determined by the council to remove Category 1 hazards (A-C) as a priority and then certain Category 2 hazards (D-E only, with the exception of the ‘excess cold’ hazard where only Category 1 hazards will be removed). Works to habitable areas of the property can be included only and any works relating to sheds, outbuildings, conservatories and gardens for example will be excluded from eligible work. It may not be possible to remove all hazards from the home due to the limitations of funding however the most serious hazards will be prioritised.

Financial

Arrangements

A grant is available up to a maximum of £15,000 (including VAT and £1000 contingency sum). Assistance will be offered subject to the availability of resources at the time of application.

Application

Applications are made to the Private Sector Housing Service at Mansfield District Council.

Payment

Payment is made direct to the applicant’s contractor on satisfactory completion of the works and production of invoices. Any assessed client contribution will be payable by the applicant direct to their contractor upon satisfactory completion of works.

The contract for the works remains between the applicant and their selected contractor. A minimum of 3 quotes will be required for the scheduled works and the grant will be approved upon the basis of the lowest quote. If the applicant chooses to select a different contractor that is not the cheapest, they can do so providing they pay the difference in price direct to their contractor on satisfactory completion of works. The council will inspect the works on completion however cannot be involved in any disputes between the applicant and their contractor.