Home Adaptations and Disabled Facilities Grants

The request was partially successful.

Hello,

I hope you are well. Could you please treat my request for the information below as a formal request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Please could you provide the following information on Disabled Facilities Grants (DFGs) or similar grants provided under your discretionary Housing Assistance Policy:

1a. The total number of referrals from occupational therapists received for home adaptations in the financial years 2018/19, 2019/20, 2020/21 and 2021/22 until 30th September 2021?

1bi. The total number of households means tests completed for home adaptations in the financial years 2018/19, 2019/20, 2020/21 and 2021/22 until 30th September 2021?

1bii. How many potential applicants did not proceed with making a grant application following a means test in the financial years 2018/19, 2019/20, 2020/21 and 2021/22 until 30th September 2021?

1c. The total number of formal applications received for home adaptations in the financial years 2018/19, 2019/20, 2020/21 and 2021/22 until 30th September 2021?

1d. The total number of formal applications approved in the financial years 2018/19, 2019/20, 2020/21 and 2021/22 until 30th September 2021?

1e. The total number of grants completed in the financial years 2018/19, 2019/20, 2020/21 and 2021/22 until 30th September 2021?

For the questions below, please could you specify which average measure you are using, whether it is median or mean. However, the median would be preferable.

2a. What was the average number of working days from first contact for someone to receive an initial assessment from an occupational therapist (or similar person) in each of the financial years 2018/19, 2019/20, 2020/21 and 2021/22 until 30th September 2021?

2b. What was the average number of working days between someone receiving an initial assessment from an occupational therapist (or similar person) and the date of
the referral to the housing department/ district council in each of the financial years 2018/19, 2019/20, 2020/21 and 2021/22 until 30th September 2021?

2c. What was the average number of working days between the date of the referral to the housing department/ district council and the date of the formal grant application in each of the financial years 2018/19, 2019/20, 2020/21 and 2021/22 until 30th September 2021?

2d. What was the average number of working days between the date of
receipt of the formal application and the certified/ completion date of installing the adaptations in each of the financial years 2018/19, 2019/20, 2020/21 and 2021/22 until 30th September 2021?

3a. If the council is currently using its discretionary powers to provide additional funding in addition to the maximum DFG amount, please state what the new figure is and what legislation has been used to increase the figure.

In the spirit of Section 16 of the FOI Act — to “provide advice and assistance, so far as it would be reasonable to expect the authority to do so, to persons who propose to make, or have made requests for information” — if you cannot answer all of these questions, please contact me to discuss what information you could supply at the earliest opportunity on 07516275710.

If you feel you cannot provide all of this information, please provide the information you can.

Please could you acknowledge this FOI request by reply with a reference on receipt AND could the information be forwarded by email in an Excel (xls) document and not a PDF.

I look forward to hearing from you promptly, and at any rate, within the statutory time limit of 20 working days from your receipt of this email.

Whilst writing, I take this opportunity to remind you of the Information Commissioner's public statements, in which he has stated that there is a "presumption of disclosure" under FOI.

Please note that if this request for FOI disclosure is refused, I reserve the right to take up the matter with the Information Commissioner and/or to pursue all legal avenues of appeal.

Thank you in advance.

Kind regards,
Vicky Gayle

NoReplyFOI, Worcester City Council

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Our Ref: FOI - 21222956

 

Dear Vicky Gayle,

 

FOI Reference: 21222956

 

Thank you for your below request for information submitted to Worcester
City Council on 20^th October 2021 which has been handled under the
Freedom of Information Act 2000.

 

Response:

Please could you provide the following information on Disabled Facilities
Grants (DFGs) or similar grants provided under your discretionary Housing
Assistance Policy:

1a. The total number of referrals from occupational
therapists received for home adaptations in the
financial years 2018/19, 2019/20, 2020/21 and
2021/22 until 30th September 2021?
2019-20 132
2020-21 76
2021 - 30th Sept 73
1bi. The total number of households means tests
completed for home adaptations in the financial
years 2018/19, 2019/20, 2020/21 and 2021/22 until
30th September 2021?
Worcester City Council does not record this information in a
reportable way.  Each historic record would have to be opened and
checked to find the data requested.  This would take longer than the
“appropriate limit” and therefore this part of the request is exempt
under section 12.
1bii. How many potential applicants did not proceed with
making a grant application following a means test
in the financial years 2018/19, 2019/20, 2020/21
and 2021/22 until 30th September 2021?
2019-20 11
2020-21 8
2021 - 30th Sept 6
1c. The total number of formal applications received
for home adaptations in the financial years
2018/19, 2019/20, 2020/21 and 2021/22 until 30th
September 2021?
2019-20 67
2020-21 46
2021 - 30th Sept Not yet available
1d. The total number of formal applications approved
in the financial years 2018/19, 2019/20, 2020/21
and 2021/22 until 30th September 2021?
2019-20 67
2020-21 46
2021 - 30th Sept Not yet available
1e. The total number of grants completed in the
financial years 2018/19, 2019/20, 2020/21 and
2021/22 until 30th September 2021?
2019-20 66
2020-21 40
2021 - 30th Sept 25
For the questions below, please could you specify
which average measure you are using, whether it is
median or mean. However, the median would be
preferable.
2a. What was the average number of working days from
first contact for someone to receive an initial
assessment from an occupational therapist (or
similar person) in each of the financial years
2018/19, 2019/20, 2020/21 and 2021/22 until 30th
September 2021?
Worcester City Council does not record this
information in a reportable way.  Each historic
record would have to be opened and checked to find
the data requested.  This would take longer than
the “appropriate limit” and therefore this part of
the request is exempt under section 12.
2b. What was the average number of working days
between someone receiving an initial assessment
from an occupational therapist (or similar person)
and the date of the referral to the housing
department/ district council in each of the
financial years 2018/19, 2019/20, 2020/21 and
2021/22 until 30th September 2021?
- Mean Average.
Note - Counting Days from OT Assessment to Date
received by HIA
2019-20 3
2020-21 29
2021 - 30th Sept 18
2c. What was the average number of working days
between the date of the referral to the housing
department/ district council and the date of the
formal grant application in each of the financial
years 2018/19, 2019/20, 2020/21 and 2021/22 until
30th September 2021?
- Mean Average.
Note – Home Improvement Agency Receipt Date to
Grant Approval Request Date
2019-20 62
2020-21 116
2021 - 30th Sept 53
2d. What was the average number of working days
between the date of receipt of the formal
application and the certified/ completion date of
installing the adaptations in each of the
financial years 2018/19, 2019/20, 2020/21 and
2021/22 until 30th September 2021?
- Mean Average.
Note - Date of Approval Received to Practical
Completion Date (not date Approval granted)
2019-20 42
2020-21 77
2021 - 30th Sept 75
3a If the council is currently using its
discretionary powers to provide additional funding
in addition to the maximum DFG amount, please
state what the new figure is and what legislation
has been used to increase the figure.
The Worcester City Housing Assistance Policy is
written in accordance with the Regulatory Reform
(Housing Assistance)(England and Wales) Order 2002
legislation. It also provides discretionary top up
grants above the £30,000 Disabled Facilities Grant
maximum threshold of £25,000 based on a set
eligibility criteria. This enables a maximum
possible grant level of £55,000 when required.

 

Worcester City Council does not hold data from 2018 – 19 as this was from
a previous contract as is not available using the DELTA return.  Data
currently unavailable for 2021 – 2022 will be available in 12 months’
time.

 

If you are dissatisfied with the handling of your request, you have the
right to ask for an internal review. Internal review requests should be
submitted no less than 28 calendar days from the date of our response to
your original request. These requests should be sent in writing to the
following address:

 

The Corporate Policy and Strategy Team

Worcester City Council

The Guildhall

High Street

Worcester

WR1 2EY

 

If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review, you have
the right to apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a
decision. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at: Information
Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9
5AF. If you have any queries about this request please do not hesitate to
contact us. Please remember to quote the reference number above in any
future communications.

 

Yours sincerely,

Worcester City Council

 

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