Hi, I'm Sarah - what would be means tested when applying for a housing grant?

sadobb

Hi,
Can anyone help me please?
My daughter is almost 25, still living with us at home (not able to work) and has just been diagnosed with ASD.
My husband and I think she would really benefit from her own independence and wondered if we’d be eligible for a grant to extend a detached annex for her to live in.
It mentions about being means tested, but it’s not clear who would actually be tested.  Would it be my daughter or us? Or all of us?

Cher_Alumni

Hi @sadobb and welcome to our community.  It's great that you found us.

Are you referring to the Disabled Facilities Grant?  Shelter explains the following about means-testing in relation to this:

Means testing
The means test involves an assessment of the disabled person's resources, and that of their partner. The means test does not apply to a landlord's application, or to the parents of a disabled child or young person.
In applying the means test, the financial resources of the relevant person are calculated by establishing the average weekly income, which includes any capital income. Where the relevant person has a partner, the resources are assessed jointly.
The means test is applied to the relevant person, who is the disabled occupant or one of the disabled occupants of the dwelling, or the partner of the disabled occupant or one of the disabled occupants of the dwelling.[21]
A relevant person who receives the following benefits has their weekly income regarded as £1:

• income support

• income-based jobseeker's allowance

• income-related employment and support allowance (from 5 August 2009)[22]

• the guarantee credit part of pension credit, whether as a claimant, or the partner of the claimant

• housing benefit

• maternity allowance

A relevant person in receipt of working tax credit or child tax credit, whose annual income is calculated as being less than £15,050, also has their weekly income regarded as £1. The regulations set out certain other earnings,income and capital that are to be disregarded.[23]
The calculations used to ascertain the applicable amount which the applicant could themselves finance, and by which the grant is accordingly reduced,[24] are very similar to those applied to housing benefit.
If the income is less than the assessed needs, then there is not usually any need to contribute to the cost of the works. If the income is more than the assessed needs, then a proportion of the income is used to calculate how much the applicant could contribute towards the cost of the works. If this assessed amount is less than the cost of the works, the difference between the two is paid as disabled facilities grant.
In relation to landlords, the local authority takes into account, for example, the extent to which the landlord will be able to charge a higher rent for the premises because of the works.[25] Local authorities may also seek the advice of rent officers.[26]

From this I believe it would only be your daughter's income that would be taken into consideration.  To find out more and speak to your local authority about it, you can use this Government webpage to be put through to your local councils relevant webpage.  Good luck and please let us know how you get on.

sadobb

Thank you thank you so very much for this informations. It’s really helpful and I will certainly let you know how we get on.
sarah ?