Mark Pritchard has welcomed the Government's announcement that the Department for Health and Social Care has allocated £50 million to local authorities to help older people and those with disabilities to live safely and independently in their own homes.
From the new £50 million funding pot, Shropshire Council will receive £317,752 and Telford & Wrekin Council will receive £201,288.
Eligible people can apply to their local authority for funding from the Disabled Facilities Grant to adapt their home to meet their needs more effectively. The £50 million is the first part of a £102 million investment to be made over two years. It will enable local authorities to provide additional services and make minor adaptations quickly.
Providing suitable adaptations to homes, such as wheelchair ramps, handrails, stairlifts or specialist equipment, will mean that when someone is medically fit to be discharged, they will have somewhere safe to be discharged to, freeing up hospital beds for those who need them. This will help to cut waiting times in the NHS this winter and beyond.
The grants are available to homeowners, private renters and people in social housing, and funding comes on top of the annual £573 million already provided to local authorities for home-improvement services. Since 2010, there have been almost half a million home adaptions completed, backed by £4.8 billion in funding.
Mark said:
"I am pleased the Government is supporting older and disabled people across Shropshire. The £519,000 of total new funding will help many elderly and disabled residents to continue living with independence and dignity in their own homes."
