Housing adaptation grants must be increased in line with market costs – Higgins

Housing adaptation grants must be increased in line with market costs, a Fine Gael TD has said.

Deputy Emer Higgins, party spokesperson on equality, has called for Government to re-examine the rate at which the grants are paid to older people and people with disabilities in the run up to the Budget, to help them to make their homes more accessible.

Deputy Higgins said: “I know from my office that people who avail of these grants find them massively beneficial in terms of making their homes more accessible, suitable and comfortable.

“We all know the cost of doing work has increased dramatically and what has not increased is the value of the grants towards that cost.

“What’s more, different local authorities are implementing the grant scheme differently and many do not pay contractors for a number of months, which is putting contractors off taking on these much-needed projects.

“In the lead-up to the Budget, I’m calling on my colleagues in Government to re-examine the rate at which the grants are paid to older people and people with disabilities, to ensure they have access to meaningful grants when they need them to make their homes more accessible, suitable and comfortable.

“That also means talking to local authorities about how they deliver this scheme.

“Housing adaptions and aides can be the difference between someone having to move to full-time care or being able to stay in their own home and maintain their independence.

“The rising cost-of-living shouldn’t be a barrier to someone being able to live comfortably in their own home”, Deputy Higgins concluded.