The Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability, the Mobility Aids Scheme, and the Housing Aid for Older People schemes were introduced following my Department's review of the Disabled Persons, Essential Repairs and Special Housing Aid for the Elderly Grant Schemes. One of the primary aims of the review was to ensure that the available resources are targeted to those in most need of assistance.
Under the previous schemes, some local authorities applied a means test, while others did not. The standardised means test introduced under the new schemes, including the income thresholds and bands provided for, were designed to ensure that a fair and uniform approach applies across all local authority areas, and that those households in greatest need benefit from the available funding.
As part of the means-testing provisions, local authorities have been instructed to apply various income disregards in the calculation of household means, including disregards for children and students, and in respect of a range of welfare payments such as Carer's Benefit/Allowance. In addition, the income thresholds and bands will be adjusted annually in line with inflation. The means-test is applied to the income of the applicant in the previous tax year in order to facilitate the assessment of applicants on the same basis, including those who are not assessed under the PAYE scheme.
A review of the operation of the new schemes will be undertaken following their first year of full implementation.