The way that your housing and support is paid for will depend on things such as:
The type of housing you live in
The help and support you need in your home
Your income and savings
This will be talked about during your assessment. Often the type of support and care that you may need can affect your housing choice.
There are different ways you may be able to get help to pay your care and support.
Independent Living Fund
The Independent Living Fund can help severely disabled people to live in their own homes instead of residential care. This means they can have more choice and control in deciding about their individual care.
The fund does this by providing money to help pay for the costs of the extra care needed because of disability. This can be used to help you have a more independent life and support you to take part in more social activities.
The rules about who can apply for Independent Living Fund are that:
you must be at least 16 years old and under 66 years old
you receive Disability LIving Allowance at the higher rate
your care must cost at least £200 per week from the local authority care budget
you have capital or savings of less than £18,500 (including that of a partner)
you are capable of living in the community (with support) for at least six months
you are living in the UK
Also, the cost of your total package of Local Authority contribution and Independent Living Fund must not be more than £785 per week.
The Local Authority contribution can include:
Home Care
Day Care placement
Residential respite
Direct Payments
If you have any questions or would like further information about the Independent Living Fund. Telephone - 01325 346295
Direct Payments
If following an assessment it is deceided that you need support, you can have money to buy some of your own services rather than having services arranged for you. This service is available for adults aged between 18 and 65.
You can find out more about this by contacting the Direct Payment Support Service. Telephone - 01325 360524
The Supporting People Grant
This can pay for housing related support services to help you live as independently as possible.
Everyone who receives the Supporting People grant will have a support plan, which will show how they are going to be supported and how this will help them.
The support might include:
help with budgeting
filling in forms
preparing meals
personal care
doing your washing
making your meals
To receive Supporting People grant you need to be receiving Housing Benefit. You can also get the grant if you have had a successful Financial Assessment.
If you don’t have Housing Benefit or a successful Financial Assessment you can still have the support, but you will have to pay for the support yourself.
You can find out more by contacting the Supporting People Team on 01325 388108.
Housing Benefit
This is paid by the local Council and will pay towards the cost of your rent if you receive income support or are on a low income. You cannot be paid Housing Benefit if you rent from a close relative and they live in the same house.
There are some rules that you will need to meet before Housing Benefit can be paid to you. The Housing Benefit Section will need information about:
your earnings
your savings
your rent
Once they know this, they will tell you if you can be paid Housing Benefit. You can find more information about Housing Benefit in Darlington by telephoning the Housing Benefit department or by telephoning 01325 380651.
If you have a mortgage you might be able to get help with paying the interest.
The Department for Work and Pensions can help pay interest only on a mortgage up to £100,000 if you come under certain rules when buying a home. This can also apply to shared ownership homes.
If your mortgage loan is bigger than £100,000 you will have to pay interest on any amount over this.