Government response

Housing Minister responds to Daily Mirror article about Disabled Facilities Grant

Mark Prisk rebuts Daily Mirror article claiming that 8,000 elderly people were denied the Disabled Facilities Grant due to council cuts.

This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

Housing Minister Mark Prisk responds to an article in The Daily Mirror that claims 8,000 elderly people have been denied the Disabled Facilities Grant due to local authority funding cuts, forcing many into care homes.

Housing Minister Mark Prisk said:

“This government has increased funding for the Disabled Facilities Grant. In 2011 to 2012 the national allocation to local authorities was £200 million compared to £156.9 million under the last administration. This central support will total £745 million over the Spending Review period.

“Despite the need to tackle the deficit we have inherited from the last administration, we are also investing £6.5 billion in Supporting People services, providing £51 million for handyperson services and supporting home improvement agencies to provide a range of services to a quarter of a million elderly and disabled households every year.”

Published 20 September 2012