Home improvement and assistance (HIA)

Salford Home Improvement Assistance service offers a range of support to older and vulnerable people who need help to tackle essential property repairs to their home or need help if their home is no longer suitable.

Home Improvement Assistance services include:

Home maintenance aims to assist where essential property maintenance and repair work is required to make a home safe, warm and dry or to remove a defect that poses a direct risk to the health and safety of the occupants. A Home Maintenance Grant may be offered to cover the cost of any such work required subject to eligibility.

Home Maintenance Grants are Secured Grant funding, which will be repayable to the Council in all circumstances.  The Council’s Grant funding will be secured by way of a Legal Charge to be granted to the Council over the property. 

Affordable Warmth assistance is provided alongside partner agencies energy efficiency scheme, energy company or government funded schemes. Assistance may include onward referral, with consent, to relevant schemes. Urgent assistance may also be provided where deemed necessary, such as no heat situations, where access to assistance is not available by any other means.

Housing assistance will be provided where the sustainability of the home is not practicable. Advice and support to help identify somewhere more suitable to live and help with the practical steps to move may be provided. The service also supports vulnerable clients deemed to be at risk due to their living environment where cleanliness, clutter or hoarding have been identified and a referral has been made from health care professionals of other partner agencies. A professional referral is required for assistance, subject to eligibility.

Eligibility criteria for Home Improvement Assistance

Applicants must be Salford residents and have lived in the property for the last two years as their main residence and one of the below must also apply.

• Applicant is aged 65 or over and in receipt of a means tested benefit
• Applicant has an illness and/or disability and in receipt of a means tested benefit which evidences such an illness or disability, or can provide the evidence of a qualified health professional to support this
• Low-income families with a child under five years of age and in receipt of a means tested benefit.

Guidance for applicants

Please note that home maintenance grants will only be considered if the property is owner occupied, or where a tenant has responsibility to carry out repairs as part of their lease or rent agreement with the landlord.

All eligible applicants will be assessed to determine priority and what type of assistance would be the most appropriate depending on the applicants’ personal circumstances. Applicants will be contacted regarding the outcome of an application.

Where an applicant is placed on a waiting list a letter will be sent informing of current waiting times. Where required, applicants will be contacted to arrange a visit to the property to carry out an internal assessment.

If the eligibility criteria is not met, other services may be able to assist. Details of other services available are listed under ‘Other forms of assistance’ on this page below.

Make an application for assistance

Referrals from health and social care professions and partner organisations

Health and social care professionals, or other partner agency professionals, who have concerns regarding the health and wellbeing of an elderly or vulnerable client in relation to their property can make a Professional Referral to the service and the clients needs will be assessed. 

Professional referral

Other forms of assistance available

If you do not qualify for our service, assistance may be available from other support agencies such as those listed below.

Tackling fuel poverty with energy efficiency improvements

FREE assistance is available to vulnerable households living in fuel poverty or to prevent household falling into fuel poverty. Assistance can be provided for cavity wall insulation, solid wall insulation, loft insulation, heating repairs, draft proofing, and boiler/gas checks.  

Information about fuel poverty assistance.

Tenants

Tenants can seek assistance with repairs and landlord problems where contacting your landlord to report your concerns has not been effective.

Make a complaint about a rented property.

Salford Home Search

Salford Home Search is an innovative way of letting properties. This scheme gives you more choice when looking for your new home in Salford. It allows you to register, express your interest in properties and make most amendments to your application. Homes are advertised weekly, with new properties being added every Wednesday. 

See Salford Home Search for more information.

Salford Housing Options Point (SHOP)

Support for older and vulnerable people who are seeking to find alternative accommodation can be obtained from Housing Advice, they may be able to assist you if you have a housing need.

See the help for vulnerable or older people section for more information or email housing.advicecentre@salford.gov.uk.

Salford Foundation

Salford Foundation provide energy efficiency advice, fuel debt, energy tariff switching and pre-payment meter removals in addition to income maximisation assessments.

See Salford Foundation for more information. 

Salford Assist

Salford Assist may be able to assist with emergency credit for gas and electric meters. They also assist with curtains, carpets and white goods subject to eligibility.

Find out more about Salford Assist.

This page was last updated on 28 March 2024