Response A1345146

Response to request for information

Reference

A1345146

Response date

25 May2021

Request

Please send me answers to the following questions:

• What was your Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) budget for the period from 1st April 2019 to 31 March 2020?
• What proportion of the budget mentioned above was spent on DFGs during the period from 1st April 2019 to 31 March 2020?
• How many applications for DFGs did you receive in the period from 1 April 2019 to 31 March 2020?
• How many applications for DFGs did you receive from people living with motor neurone disease in the period from 1 April 2019 to 31 March 2020?
• What proportion of DFG applications received during the period from 1 April 2019 to 31 March 2020 received a decision within the nationally recommended target timescale of 6 months?
• What proportion of approved DFG applications received during the period from 1 April 2019 to 31 March 2020 received funding within the nationally recommended target timescale of 1 year?
• Do you currently have a fast -track application process in place to provide DFG funding more rapidly to applicants with urgent needs? If yes, what are the eligibility criteria to access this process?
• How many applications were made under the fast track process (if applicable) during the period from 1 April 2019 to 31 March 2020, and how many of these were approved?
• Are there any circumstances in which the DFG mandatory means test is waived and if so what are those circumstances? (e.g. for adaptations under a certain cost or of a certain type)
• How many applications for DFGs did you receive in the period from 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2021?
• What proportion of DFG applications completed during the period from 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2021 received a decision within the nationally recommended target timescale of 6 months?
• What proportion of approved DFG applications completed during the period from 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2021 received funding within the nationally recommended target timescale of 1 year?
• Do you currently provide a single point of contact for applicants to approach for information and guidance during the process of applying for and receiving DFG funding?
• Do you currently have an accessible housing register for your local authority area that is publicly available?

Response

• What was your Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) budget for the period from 1st April 2019 to 31 March 2020?
  • £489,930
• What proportion of the budget mentioned above was spent on DFGs during the period from 1st April 2019 to 31 March 2020?
  • 91%
• How many applications for DFGs did you receive in the period from 1 April 2019 to 31 March 2020?
  • 111
• How many applications for DFGs did you receive from people living with motor neurone disease in the period from 1 April 2019 to 31 March 2020?
  • Information is not held
• What proportion of DFG applications received during the period from 1 April 2019 to 31 March 2020 received a decision within the nationally recommended target timescale of 6 months?
  • 100%
• What proportion of approved DFG applications received during the period from 1 April 2019 to 31 March 2020 received funding within the nationally recommended target timescale of 1 year?
  • 100%
• Do you currently have a fast -track application process in place to provide DFG funding more rapidly to applicants with urgent needs? If yes, what are the eligibility criteria to access this process?
  • Yes. Occupational Therapy Manager Priority referral
• How many applications were made under the fast track process (if applicable) during the period from 1 April 2019 to 31 March 2020, and how many of these were approved?
  • 1 made, 1 approved
• Are there any circumstances in which the DFG mandatory means test is waived and if so what are those circumstances? (eg for adaptations under a certain cost or of a certain type)
  • Nothing outside legal circumstances, e.g. passporting benefit, child case etc
• How many applications for DFGs did you receive in the period from 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2021?
  • 76
• What proportion of DFG applications completed during the period from 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2021 received a decision within the nationally recommended target timescale of 6 months?
  • 100%
• What proportion of approved DFG applications completed during the period from 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2021 received funding within the nationally recommended target timescale of 1 year?
  • 100%
• Do you currently provide a single point of contact for applicants to approach for information and guidance during the process of applying for and receiving DFG funding?
  • Occupational Therapy first point of call
• Do you currently have an accessible housing register for your local authority area that is publicly available?
  • With Registered Social Landlords