Financial assistance for home owners for improvement to your home
We can help you to improve your home. Two forms of general assistance are available:
In addition, there is some help towards heating and insulation.
Repayable grants
Repayable grants may be available to owner occupiers living in the more deprived areas of the city and who receive qualifying benefits. These grants are available to help make the home healthy and safe to be lived in.
Repayable grants are available in the following neighbourhood areas:
- City Centre
- Devonport
- East End
- Efford
- Ford
- Ham
- Keyham
- Lipson and Laira
- Morice Town
- Mount Gould
- Mutley and Greenbank
- North Prospect
- Stoke
- Stonehouse
Please visit the your neighbourhood page for further information on these areas.
The qualifying benefits are:
- Income Support
- Council Tax Benefit
- Income Based Job Seekers Allowance
- War Disablement Pension
- Pension Credit
- Working Tax Credit (WTC) providing the recipient has a relevant household income of less than £15,460* plus either a disability element of WTC, Disability Living Allowance or Attendance Allowance
- Child Tax Credit providing the recipient has a relevant household income of less than £15,460*
*Subject to change by Government
The repayable grants may be available to any home owner complying with the above conditions where the home falls below the minimum standards for health and safety set down in housing law. The following are common examples of works that can be funded:
- Improved heating and energy efficiency measures
- Improvements to steps and stairs
- Improvements to unsafe electrical wiring
Loans
Loans are also available through our partner the Home Improvement Trust. However these are limited to households where there is an occupier aged 60 or over, or there is a registered disabled person living in the home.
If you would like to find out more information or request an enquiry form, please contact the Private Sector Housing Team on 01752 307303 or email decenthomes@plymouth.gov.uk.