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Our Home Improvement Grants scheme aims to help those who can least afford to pay for work to their home.
The amount you can receive depends on the cost of the works and your financial circumstances.
If you apply for a grant, you will be means tested. This is how we decide if you should meet some of the cost of the works. We call this the ‘Test of Resources’.
You may be applying for a Disabled Facilities Grant for adaptations to help a child. If you are the parent or guardian, and you are in receipt of Child Benefit, you will not be means tested.
But you may still have to contribute to the cost of the work.
This happens where the work costs more than the amount available through grant aid.
How is a Test of Resources carried out?
We base the calculation on:
your household’s average income (ie your resources)
what the Government says will meet your ‘basic’ needs
Your income includes:
all earnings from employment (including self-employment)
certain benefits
pensions
savings
any other source(s)
The calculations are not based on income alone. We also consider your family status.
These include:
the number of children in your household
whether you have a partner
disability
age
Our calculations may show that your income is less than the amount the Government says you need. The grant amount awarded will then meet the ‘approved cost’ of the work.
However, we can only award up to the maximum grant-aid available for the type of grant.
Our calculation may show that your income is more than the amount the Government says you need. Then we will calculate the difference between these figures. We use this to determine the size of loan (if you need one) we believe you can afford.
The total amount of grant we award will be the ‘approved cost’ of the work less the amount you can afford to borrow.
Is the ‘Test of Resources’ the same for owner occupiers, tenants and landlords?
We apply the same test to tenants and owner occupiers.
Grants awarded to landlords are percentage based. We offer a 50% grant to Landlords. But for designated regeneration areas this percentage may be higher.
If you have any questions or queries about ‘Test of Resource’ contact your local Grants Office on
