Cost of living: Older people eligible for handy grant worth thousands for home repairs
Thousands of people around the country are losing out on a handy grant worth up to €8,000 in the middle of a cost of living crisis
Older homeowners could be entitled to a handy grant worth thousands that can be used for home improvements and repairs.
The Housing Aid for Older People Grant is worth up to €8,000 for those who are eligible and is in place to help people carry out essential repairs to improve their homes so they can stay living there.
Aimed at people over the age of 66, the grant is also in place for those who are currently living in poor housing conditions, although if there is a case of genuine hardship, someone under this age may be eligible.
READ MORE: Cost of living: Parents urged to apply for handy relief worth up to €700
From eligibility criteria and how to apply, to what the grant can be used for, here is everything you need to know about the Housing Aid for Older People Grant.
What is the Housing Aid for Older People Grant?
The Housing Aid for Older People Grant is for essential repairs to improve the condition of an older person's home so they can continue to live there, RSVP Live reports. It is aimed at people aged 66 and older, who are living in poor housing conditions. However, in cases of genuine hardship, the local authority may help people under the age of 66.
If you have a disability and your home needs to be adapted to make it more accessible, the Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability or the Mobility Aids Grant Scheme may be more suitable for you. These grants are all administered by local authorities.
The grant is for essential repairs to make it possible for an older person to continue living in their home.
Essential repairs can include:
- Repairing or replacing the roof
- Upgrading the electrical wiring
- Repairing or replacing the windows and doors
- Providing central heating
You should check with your local authority to see what types of repairs they will cover.
Who qualifies for the grant?
This means-tested grant is paid for essential work to privately-owned homes where the older person either:
- Owns the home, or
- Has a right to live in the home where the work will be done
- Your total gross household income is assessed to find out if you qualify for the grant and what level of assistance you can get.
- Household income is the gross annual income earned by:
- All adults living in the home aged over 23 years (or over 18 and not in full-time education)
- The registered property owner and their spouse. (This income is not considered if your home is rented from a landlord, provided by an approved housing body (AHB) or is a communal residence.)
How much is the grant?
The grant covers some of the cost of work needed, but not all of it. The amount of money you get depends on your gross household income for the previous tax year after any disregards and deductions are applied. The maximum grant available is €8,000 or 95 per cent of the cost of the work approved by your local authority.
This maximum grant of 95 per cent is available to people with annual household incomes of less than €30,000. This reduces to 30 per cent for those with annual household incomes of €50,001 to €60,000. You can see the full table of rates here.
How to apply
You can download the application form from gov.ie or from your local authority’s website. You can also get the form from your local authority. This application form is used to apply for three different grants which are available to older people and people with disabilities to adapt their homes. For this grant, you need to complete the sections of the form for the Housing Aid for Older People Grant.
The form contains detailed information about the scheme’s conditions and a checklist of documents that you must include.
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