Vol. 437 No. 7
79 Mr. Broughan asked the Minister for the Environment his views on whether the present housing extension grant for disabled persons is too low to meet even the lowest tenders; and the plans, if any, he has to increase this grant.
The disabled persons grants scheme is administered by the housing authorities who may pay a grant for works of adaptation to, or for the provision of additional accommodation in, a house for a member of the household who is either physically or severely mentally handicapped or suffering from severe mental illness. The grant can cover up to two-thirds of the approved cost of the work in the case of a private house and the full cost in the case of a local authority house. Fifty per cent of the amount of the grant in each case may be recouped from my Department by the housing authority, subject to a maximum recoupment of £4,000.
I have no plans, at present, to increase the maximum recoupment which was increased by 60 per cent, from £2,500 to its current level, in respect of works commenced on or after 1 March 1993.
