To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how his Department expects the cost of installing, maintaining and repairing special equipment and adaptations for housing will be met after universal credit replaces housing benefit.

holding answer 6 February 2014

The Disabled Facilities Grant, which funds over 40,000 adaptations annually, will continue to be available to those who qualify. My Department secured £725 million for the grant in the 2010 spending review for the period 2011-12 to 2014-15 and over the last two years the Government has invested a further £60 million. In the 2015-16 spending round, the Government announced that the initial grant allocation will increase by 19% to £220 million.

The Government also funds Foundations, the national body for home improvement agencies, to provide advice and disseminate good practice on the provision and maintenance of adaptations. In addition, the Homes Adaptations Consortium last year updated the Government guidance on adaptations, including advice on repair and maintenance. The guidance encourages local councils and home improvement agencies to think carefully about the installation, maintenance and repair of adaptations, and these decisions will continue to be made locally. The guidance can be found at:

http://www.careandrepair-england.org.uk/reports.htm