Means-testing for Disabled Facilities Grants - Introductory Course

Anyone needing adaptations to be made to a dwelling to facilitate occupancy by a disabled person can apply to their local authority for financial assistance in carrying out the work.

Any grant made will depend on the cost of the work to be done, and of the financial circumstances of the disabled person.

Course objectives

By the end of this course participants will be able to:

• Identify who is, or is not, eligible to apply for a grant
• Decide who should be treated as a relevant person
• Identify who comprises the relevant person's "family"
• Have a general overview of the state benefits system
• Have an understanding of how means-testing works
• Calculate applicable amounts using personal allowances and premiums
• Understand what comprises income & capital, and what is taken into account
• Calculate contribution to cost of works

Course delivery

The course will be delivered using the Zoom platform. Although you can download and run the Zoom application, you can simply run Zoom in a browser window if you wish. There will be:

• On screen powerpoint presentation
• Short “polls” to confirm understanding
• Open discussion

Attendees will also be provided with a .PDF Course Text comprising the powerpoint presentation combined with extensive course notes. This will be emailed to the attendees prior to the event.

(Please note: where the Zoom app is not installed, individual browser setting can, in some instances, prevent visibility of pop-up polls.)

Course structure

The course will be delivered across 4 x 1.5 hour long sessions.

1. Session one will cover the legal and policy background, applicants, “relevant persons”, “passporting”, children and young people, and the “benefits family”.
2. Session two will populate the “applicable amount”, the artificial figure made up of personal allowances and premiums customers are supposed to have and will look at the benefits background as receipt of incapacity and disability benefits gives entitlement to premiums.
3. Session three looks at the income that the customer is treated as having for means-testing purposes, including the income from earnings, from benefits and other sources, and from “tariff” or “deemed” income from capital.
4. Session four will look at capital, which items are ignored, which are taken into account, and address problem areas such as property and life insurance products The session will also detail some actual calculations, illustrating the rather strange way in which excess income is turned into a lump sum contribution to the cost of works.

Who this course is for:

Anyone new to housing grants who needs a basic introduction to the system. Persons with limited experience who need to know the "reasons why".

Who this course is NOT for:

Experienced grants officers who need their knowledge refreshed or updated. (Individual online seminars on more complex means-testing issues will follow.)

Who will deliver the course

The course tutor will be our experienced trainer and consultant Clive Martin. Clive offers a humorous and often irreverent approach to what could be seen as a rather dry subject.

Feedback

Tutor – Clive Martin

Fantastic trainer. Informative and very knowledgeable – A1 Housing

Very knowledgeable and interested in the subject area – Selby DC

Entertaining & Informative – South Tyneside Council

Brilliant tutor, clear, concise and fun too – Eastbourne BC

Clive was very informative and engaging – Colchester BC

Excellent style of teaching – Warwick DC

Cost

£130 (+ VAT) per attendee.

Bookings are for specific dates and times.

Confirmation of the dates and times of the Zoom webinars will also be emailed to attendees, the email to include a download link to training notes in .pdf format, and instructions on how to access the webinars.

In House Training

The course is available as an in-house online event, catering for up to 16 attendees, at a cost of £900 (+VAT)